Cold As Ice’ half-sister by Trippi – Live Life
The outstanding Gr2 Sceptre Stakes favourite Cold As Ice (Western Winter x Viva) has a magnificent half-sister by current boom stallion Trippi on next week’s Cape Premier Yearling Sale.
The Sceptre Stakes will be run at Kenilworth on Saturday.
Named Live Life (# 79), the Avontuur bred bay is already a talking filly.
And with the planets aligning perfectly, courtesy of Trippi’s great performances in recent times, including siring the Gr1 Paddock Stakes winner Inara (Trippi x Mountains Of Mist) on Saturday, coupled with Cold As Ice’s rise to prominence as a potential champion 3yo, who can blame anybody for wanting a slice of this serious racing action?
Live Life has been described by an educated eye as a ‘super yearling, workmanlike, with a wonderful head and eye and a powerful hind quarter – an easy mover to boot,’
Pippa Mickleburgh – loves the family
Avontuur General Manager Pippa Mickleburgh takes up the happy story:
“Viva (National Assembly x Hot Grass) was the result of a mating I had wanted to do for a long time but never really managed until late in her mom Hot Grass and sire National Assembly’s lives. They were both well advanced in age when she was delivered and I vividly remember Hot Grass going into labour at midday in the paddock near the R44. I phoned my late boss, Mr Taberer, to come and watch as we were praying for a filly. When the foal was safely delivered Mr Taberer lent out of the bakkie window and asked – “so what did we get? I replied excitedly – “a filly!!” – and he shouted – “VIVA” – hence her name!”
Viva was described by jockey Greg Cheyne as one of the fastest fillies he had ever ridden and she won 7 races up to 1200m, including the Gr3 Champagne Stakes (WFA)
Pippa loves this family for much more than the fact that they are superb athletes and top racehorses.
She explains why:
The late Avontuur supremo Tony Taberer (Pic: SA Horseracing.com)
“I brought Hot Grass to Avontuur from Hoog Eind and convinced Mt Taberer to buy her when Mr Van Heesch closed down. Viva was one of her last foals and seen that I delivered Hot Grass (Harry Hotspur x Green Pastures), the whole family is really very close to my heart.”
Viva is currently in foal to Silvano (who sired 1-2 in Saturday’s Gr2 Peninsula Handicap ) and has a Var filly at foot.
The Cape Premier Yearling Sale session 1 gets under way next Thursday 22 January at 18h00 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
