Roy and Gladys Meaker are two of the most loyal supporters of KZN racing and their stalwart Silvano gelding Ice Machine gave them a deserved big win on home soil when winning the Gr 2 Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m, a race he had finished second in two seasons ago behind the brilliant Beach Beauty.

Charles Laird, the third trainer to have worked with the problematic gelding, has done a fine job in bringing him back from a long layoff and this was just his second start for the yard.

Previous trainer Dean Kannemeyer also delivered a Gr 2 victory the second time he sent Ice Machine out and his win on that occasion in the Gr 2 Green Point Stakes over 1600m, beating champions like Beach Beauty and Capetown Noir, showed his true potential.

Ice Machine had virtually been forgotten when reappearing at Scottsville after a nine month break just over a month ago, but the rest and recuperation he had been given by Laird had done the trick and he ran an eye-catching second to his useful former stablemate Power King.

Ice Machine looked to have a huge chance on Saturday after the shock scratching of Legislate as he runs well fresh and the Greyville 1400m is tailor made for him because of his electric turn of foot.

The Meakers, who owned the 1977 J&B Met winner Bahadur, have been patient with Ice Machine and it paid dividends on Saturday. However, Laird’s post-race comment that he hoped the gelding would pull up sound speaks volumes of how difficult a horse he is to train and his future can’t be planned too far in advance.

– By David Thiselton

Picture: Ice Machine (John Lewis)