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By Ray Hickson

Icebath ‘deserves’ a Group 1 win.

Icebath's trainer Brad Widdup

As much as that statement is true in the eyes of most, trainer Brad Widdup is quick to point out that Group 1s aren’t handed out based on who is most deserving.

The mare has the remarkable record of five Group 1 placings among 12 stakes placings and has earned over $4.5 million but the recognition that comes with winning a ‘major’ has somehow eluded her.

Being a backmarker is hard on owners and trainers because luck comes into play but with two narrow Group 1 defeats, plus her Golden Eagle close call, you have to start to wonder if it's ever going to happen.

But Widdup is realistic, he knows Icebath is good enough to win a Group 1 and can only hope Saturday's Group 1 $1.5m TAB Epsom (1600m) is her turn.

“These things aren’t given to you, it’s part of the game, but she can’t do much more can she,’’ Widdup said.

“It’s frustrating, you always rue when you miss those opportunities because you know how hard it is to win them. She’s come awfully close.

“We don’t deserve anything, we’ve been beaten by better horses on the day. We’ve just got to have her as good as she can and hopefully it falls her way.”

All five of Icebath’s Group 1 placings have come over the 1600m, four of them at Randwick, so she’s right in her comfort zone when it comes to the TAB Epsom.

She’s chased home arguably the two best miler/middle distance horses in the country at her past two starts, finishing into second behind Zaaki in the Tramway Stakes (1400m) then running Anamoe to three quarters of a length in the George Main (1600m) two weeks ago.

She clocked the fastest last 600m of the race by two lengths in the George Main, running 35.19 (Punter’s Intelligence) so there’s plenty for Widdup to be confident about.

You can add securing James McDonald to ride the mare at 54.5kg, a middle barrier and the certainty of a rain affected track to Icebath’s Epsom appeal.

“Everything she’s done this time in maps well for a good performance in an Epsom. George Main form normally shapes up pretty well,’’ he said.

“We’ve been down this road before, she’s in great order at the moment, in as good form as she’s ever been in and I couldn’t be happier with her.

“She’s come through her last run terrific, she’s worked well this week, she’s in really good order.”

Icebath, $3.80 favourite with TAB on Thursday, completed her preparation with a course proper gallop at Hawkesbury on Tuesday and it was just what Widdup wanted to see – now it’s up to horse and rider.

Her fourth and fifth runs in a preparation tend to be her best, she ran third in the Doncaster fourth-up in the autumn and Widdup said she’ll be at her top for Saturday and her defence of the $2m The Invitation (1400m) to come on October 22.

Icebath runs second in the George Main

“All the connections and myself are in a very relaxed state,’’ he said.

“We’re trying to enjoy what I’d say will be the last season we’ve got with her. There’s plenty of nice races still to come but all I can do is have her the best I can.

“Things have just got to go our way now, just like everybody else in the race.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Randwick meeting