Almanzor 4YO impresses at Matamata

Adam I Am was backed off the map at Matamata and the son of Almanzor proved in a league of his own on his home track.The patiently handled four-year-old was a recent trial winner ahead of his return over 1200 metres and he strolled home untouched to score by a widening five lengths to return a winning price of $1.70.Rider Jasmine Fawcett, sporting the colours of co-breeder Ancroft Stud, settled Adam I Am in second spot before the gelding ambled up to challenge 250 metres off the post and careered away.“We have always held him in high regard. We turned big money down for him after his trials last season,” trainer Glenn Old said. “I trained his mother Our Famous Eve so I knew a bit about the family. He was a nice yearling, he got passed in at the sales and then I went back and bought him for $100,000.“I have got a nice group of owners in him so I thought we would keep him and roll the dice. I think he is very smart. The Browns have stayed in for 25 percent, I have 10 percent, and the other 65 is split among a few mates of mine.”Adam I Am had finished off strongly for third on debut at Tauranga in January behind subsequent Group 1 placegetter Luella Cristina before he was put aside.Old will now plot a path toward a summer target with a visit to the Central Districts in the interim.“In three and a-half weeks, there is a race at Hastings for him on the last day of the carnival – a MAAT 1400m, which looks ideal for him,” he said. “If he does well there, we will target the Karaka Mile in January. I was originally going to send him over to Aussie to do his racing there, but I thought with that injection of money we will keep him here. “We trade 90 percent of what we have got, but it is nice to have a winner and have a bit of fun because it is hard to find a good one.”Adam I Am is out of the G2 Japan-New Zealand International Trophy winner Our Famous Eve and earlier this year his younger brother was purchased at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by trainer Tony Pike for $170,000.