Top Sydney stayer Ironstein is on track for a defence of his Caloundra Cup crown following a thrilling G3 Tattersall’s Cup win at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Ironstein (4g Zabeel-Gentle Genius by Danehill) was clearly headed by Shuffle the Cash before coming back strongly to win.  The runner-up protested in vain.

Strawberry Hill Stud owner John Singleton sold Ironstein for $250,000 at the 2007 Gold Coast Magic Millions.  “He was syndicated among a group of us who were involved with Bluetongue brewery,” Singo said.  “He seems to race every week and keeps getting prizemoney.”

Ironstein started his career in Victoria but really hit his straps after transferring to Gerald Ryan in Sydney.  He won at Canterbury and Kembla Grange and climaxed a successful winter campaign in the Caloundra Cup last year.

The Zabeel gelding came back to win the LR McKell Cup at Rosehill in May before a last-start fourth in the G2 Brisbane Cup.

His dam Gentle Genius won a G3 MVRC Tesio Stakes and LR STC Millie Fox Stakes but is best remembered for her close second to Sunline in a Coolmore Classic.

Ironstein completed a winning hat-trick when he defeated Kiwi stayer Tinseltown by a neck in last year’s Calounda Cup.  The Grafton Cup is also on the agenda on his way home to Sydney.