Seelin returning to Rosehill with Isorich

He’s a six-year-old heading towards his 57th start and while the penny may never drop for Isorich, that hasn’t stopped him being a model of consistency.

The Wayne Seelin-trained gelding is by far the most experienced campaigner entered in Saturday’s 1200m benchmark handicap at Rosehill.

But Seelin says Isorich is a “bit of a dude” who still wants to play rather than race.

“I don’t think he quite realises that he’s supposed to be trying to beat the others,” Seelin said.

Despite his playfulness Isorich has been in the money 29 times, winning six races including one at a Saturday meeting at Rosehill in July.

He raced 24 times within an 11-month period to July and started his latest campaign at Randwick in October.

With four runs under his belt this preparation Isorich is just getting warmed up.

Isorich owes his longevity to never having had a genuine track gallop, with Seelin preferring to combine swimming with slow pace work.

“They very rarely see the inside of the stable,” Seelin said.

He said the one-week back-up favoured Isorich who was sixth at Rosehill last Saturday with the 4.2 length margin his equal biggest defeat in 36 starts spanning almost 2-1/2 years.

Isorich was a $7500 yearling and if he can run in the first 10 on Saturday he will take his earnings past $250,000.

“We love him. You know he’s going to do what he did last week,” Seelin said.

“It’s just the horses around him that make the difference.”

With regular rider Taylor Marshall sidelined by injury, Seelin is hoping fellow apprentice Andrew Adkins can again ride him for the third-straight time.

The rule limiting jockeys to five strikes of the whip before the 100m mark has made it hard for riders to get Isorich to concentrate, Seelin said.

“The whip rule has affected him more than any other horse I’ve ever had,” he said.

“Until they start swinging the whip at him, all he wants to do is goofball.

“It’s a bit of a shame he’s like that but at the same time it might be why he’ll last so long.”