Cold As Ice looks a good bet for the Sceptre
Punters were on the receiving end of a feature race hammering at Kenilworth on L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate day but some sanity could prevail at the same venue this Saturday. Joey Ramsden’s high-quality 3yo Cold As Ice looks close to a good thing in the R400 000 Gr2 Sceptre Stakes and is a confident selection.
The magnificent Avontuur bred four-legged Ferrari has been something of a newsmaker since making her racecourse debut back in the dark Cape winter when beaten narrowly by Glen Kotzen’s more experienced Judpot filly, Double Whammy, on debut.
At weight for age, she looks a popular first choice in a field of seven.
Quick
Cold As Ice was quick to win at her second outing and has racked up four straight wins since then. As a dual course and distance winner (against lesser lights), she looks perfectly distance suited.
She clashed with Double Whammy again in the 1400m Choice Carriers Championship, where Cold As Ice beat her by by 1,75 lengths.
Cold As Ice was a facile winner of the 1000m Listed Laisserfaire Stakes at her last outing at the end of December where she accounted for Rosier and Varikate, both of whom she meets again on Saturday, with a sense of arrogant ease.
Laisserfaire
Double Whammy should enjoy the drop in distance
She was hardly ridden to beat Rosier by 1,75 lengths giving away 4,5kgs and received a half kilo from Varikate, who was a further 1,75 lengths away.
On Saturday Cold As Ice receives 3,5kgs from Varikate and runs at level weights with Rosier.
It is difficult to make a case for her to be beaten and Sean Cormack has the honour of steering her again.
Glen Kotzen saddles Rosier and Double Whammy and the Paarl-based horseman has won the race a good few times in the past.
Double Whammy comes off her third placed effort behind Majmu (and Paddock Stakes winner Inara) in the Cape Fillies Guineas and she could be a lot more effective reverting to 1200m – on a track and trip where she has the distinction of being the only horse to yet lower the Cold As Ice colours.
Tactical Brains
Piere Strydom – can make the difference
Two of the shrewdest tactical brains in the game should not be underestimated and it is a rare race where Piere Strydom teams up with Basil Marcus – the world’s most highly qualified assistant trainer, who will be guiding his good son Adam with a plan to get Priceless Jewel’s name on the trophy.
Strydom rides this galloping ball of fire for the first time and the daughter of Ashaawes peaks after two decent pipe-openers this season.
She is a versatile mare who has plenty of toe and doesn’t stop – a perfect foil to Striker’s impeccable judgement.
Bass At Best
After saddling Covenant to an impressive double in this race in 2011/12, veteran trainer Mike Bass knows what it takes.
He saddles the Trippi filly Lanner Falcon for the Drakenstein Stud – the same combination, including high-riding jockey Grant Van Niekerk, who scooped the top honours in Saturday’s Gr1 Paddock Stakes.
Lanner Falcon is not far off the best of her year and won a cracker last time beating Maybe Yes over a mile. Her form over the Kenilworth 1200m includes an eyecatching fourth behind stablemate Tevez in the Gr2 Cape Merchants in November.
Sizzling
Joey Ramsden – holds the ace
The red hot combination cannot be written off, but she will have to go some to beat Cold As Ice.
Besides Cold As Ice, Joey Ramsden also saddles Gisela Burg and Martin Wickens’ Miss Saigon.
The 5yo daughter of Captain Al is consistency personified but may be more effective over 200m further.
Her rating of 97 also suggests that she will be under pressure to go with this lot at weight for age.
Big Test
This will be Cold As Ice’s biggest test to date.
Logic suggests we respect Strydom and Marcus and pencil in the Kotzen pair as dangers.
But it looks to be Cold As Ice’s race for the winning.
