Ice Machine, a gelding with tons of ability but plagued throughout his career by soundness problems, earned a well deserved victory in The Gr 2 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes at Greyville today.
“It was a tremendous training feat by Charles (Laird) keeping him sound. He was floating today,” said his pilot Anton Marcus. “He’s a very special horse and at WFA over eight furlongs he can go with the best of them.”
Ice Machine certainly proved it yesterday as he showed a tremendous turn of foot to outgun Bouclette Top and Ashton Park although his cause was helped by the late scratching of favourite Legislate.
The long awaited return to the track of last season’s Equus Champion was put on further hold after getting a hind leg caught up in the back gate as he lashed out after being loaded. Course vet Roehann Sutherland said Legislate has suffered a few minor abrasions but appeared a “little ginger” on the leg so was taking no chances. “Fortunately he was quite sensible and did not struggle in the gate. It was possibly just a bit of a ‘lamey’ but only tomorrow will tell.”
Ice Machine has been through a number of yards but after last season owners Roy and Gladys Meaker decided on complete rest. “He had an absolute break,” said Laird and please God he pulls up sound tomorrow. The Gold Challenge is a possibility but we will take it one race at a time.”
A feature of the day’s racing on the turf track were the solid early fractions and Chekilli barreled out of gate 12 to set a strong pace leaving Ice Machine and Ashton Park towards the back of the field along with the fancied King Of Pain.
Bouclette Top was the first to challenge his stable companion and looked a likely winner but Ice Machine unwound a sustained finish up the outside of the field to win going away. Ashton Park was also doing his best work late to run into the money.
King Of Pain failed to quicken and never troubled the commentator.
By Andrew Harrison
Picture: The Conglomerate wins the 2015 Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes (Nkosi Hlophe)
