Her easy wins in both the Listed Laisserfaire Stakes and the Sceptre in her last two starts have exacerbated the disappointment of her earlier late scratching in the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Fillies Guineas as it denied her and the racing public the opportunity to see how she would have fared against the filly regarded as the best in the country, the Mike de Kock-trained Majmu.

Cold As Ice has now won two Gr 2s this season, the other being the Gr 2 Choice Carrier’s Championships over 1400m in which yesterday’s runner up, the Glen Kotzen-trained Double Whammy, also finished second.

Double Whammy, who was one of three three-year-olds in yesterday’s small seven horse field, is the only horse to have beaten Cold As Ice, getting the better of her in heavy going over 1200m when the latter was making her debut. However, Cold As Ice proved her superiority yesterday. She used her immense natural speed to lead throughout and was never under any pressure. She crossed the line 2,25 lengths clear.

Ironically, an indication of how good she is can be proved through the formlines of the Cape Fillies Guineas. The 2,5 length runner up of the latter race, Inara, would have preferred further and duly won the Gr 1 Maine Chance Paddock Stakes over 1800m next time out, while third-placed Double Whammy would probably have preferred shorter and duly finished second in the Sceptre yesterday, beating some classy older females.

Cold As Ice started at 9/20 yesterday. Priceless Jewel, a Gr 3 winner over both 1200m and 1400m, was backed in from 10/1 to 5/1, while Double Whammy drifted out from 9/2 to 8/1.  Third-placed Lanner Falcon and the next best pair Priceless Jewel and Miss Saigon were beaten 3,5, 5,75 and 6,5 lengths respectively, which showed just how good the two three-year-olds ahead of them were.

Cold As Ice was bred by Avontuur Thoroughbred Farm and is owned by K Finch, BP Finch, B Kieswetter and Craig and Amanda Carey’s Ridgemont Stud.

Saint Sophia (left) and Gallica Rose (Liesl King)

There was drama in the Listed Sun Classique Handicap in which Catchphrase went some 20 lengths clear down the back straight after her saddle had appeared to slip. The Mike Bass-trained four-year-old Dynasty filly Saint Sophia, who was officially 1kg under sufferance, ran on strongly from midfield and became involved in a ding dong tussle with Gallica Rose, who had come from the back with a burst down the inside.

Gallica Rose crossed the line a nose clear, but had continually bumped Saint Sophia outward in the latter stages. Jockey Grant van Niekerk objected and it was not surprisingly upheld. Saint Sophia started at 9/2. In Limine, Varster and The Queen Vic were the bext best finishers but were well beaten.
Later the Dennis Drier-trained four -year-old Jet Master filly Gathering Fame produced a fine finish from behind under MJ Byleveld to win the Listed Jamaica Handicap over 1700m from Omaticaya, Cat And The Moon, Jeweller’s Joy and Can Cope in a tight finish. The 6/1 shot recorded a hattrick in the process, although this was her first start in Cape Town and her first race since winning on the Greyville polytrack in September. It was only her fifth career outing so she looks to be promising.
At Turffontein the classy Ormond Ferraris-trained Toreador filly Lazer Star, an easy winner of the Gr 3 Magnolia over 1160m on Sansui Summer Cup day, remained unbeaten when producing another fantastic finishing run under Weiho Marwing to win the Listed Swallow Stakes for three-year-old fillies over 1160m by an easy 3,5 lengths, despite carrying topweight.
Earlier, the promising Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Antonius Pius colt Belong To Me bounced back from his disappointing run in the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes by winning a competitive Progress Plate over 1160m under comeback jockey Donovan Mansour, although he was favourably weighted.
At Meydan racecourse in Dubai Mike de Kock ran first and third with the USA-bred Almoonqith and the Argentinian-bred Lehaaf in a handicap over 1600m. Paul Hanagan rode the winner.
Earlier De Kock and Hanagan ran second with the South African-bred three-year-old Var gelding Mastermind in a 1200m handicap. Mastermind finished a 3,75 length second in the Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes last April in his final start in South Africa.

The four countries involved are hosts Kenya; Zimbabwe; Mauritius and South Africa and Tellytrack will broadcast the action live.

The race meeting also features the Britam Kenya Guineas and the field of 14 runners boasts four South African-bred three year olds, including the Mogok colt King Of Burma, who could take a power of beating under in-form Denny Smith.

Terrible pun but she has only ever been beaten once and in the Laisserfaire three weeks ago she simply oozed class, making pretty well all the running to win with considerable authority.

This, though, is a much tougher proposition and, with a 20kph South-Easter forecast, attempting to leading from the start could be fatal.

But seemingly Sean Cormack is alive to the dangers and he points out that his mount doesn’t have to be ridden from the front. “She is quick and she pings the gate but she is versatile,” he explains. “In fact I would love to get a lead and then she would really turn it on.”

Cold As Ice (Liesl King)

The Joey Ramsden-trained filly was installed 1-2 favourite with Betting World yesterday but it’s worth noting that the last five Sceptre favourites have all been beaten – and  a performance-affecting cough is sweeping through the stables in a way that puts the fear of God into odds-on punters.

On merit ratings 10-1 shot Priceless Jewel is the one most likely to take advantage should Cold As Ice goes the same expensive way as Legislate. “She ran well in the Diadem, her prep has been good and she is as well as I can get her for this,” says Adam Marcus.

Piere Strydom rides and the six-time champion will be the mare’s fifth different jockey in as many races. It will be a sixth next time because uncle Anton has already been booked for the Klawervlei Majorca.

Double Whammy, who is second favourite at 9-2, is the only horse ever to beat Cold As Ice and her Cape Fillies Guineas third was given a boost when second-placed Inara won last Saturday’s Paddock Stakes, That said, she is held by the favourite on Choice Carriers running.

“We should have gone faster that day and she is unbeaten up the straight,” points out Glen Kotzen who believes she didn’t quite last home in the Fillies Guineas.

Mike Bass is bidding for his third Sceptre in five seasons and he is expecting a good run from 7-1 chance Lanner Falcon who scored comfortably over 1 500m last time and was good enough to take second in the previous year’s Fillies Guineas

“She can get a mile but she prefers 1 200m and 1 400m,” says Bass. “She is a very good filly who is just a bit off the best. She is not the sort to sit up there but she will be running on late.

Varikate (14-1) has three and a half lengths plus 3kg to find with Cold As Ice. Any chance of her making it up? “I see no reason,” says Justin Snaith bluntly. “The favourite looks a superstar.”

Miss Saigon (20-1) and Rosier (12-1) make up the smallest Sceptre field for 13 years and their price would appear to reflect their chance although Kotzen likes Rosier, saying: “She is a proper sprinter with natural speed and we will use it.”

So it looks as if Cormack is going to get his wish. Let’s see if he is right about his mount turning it on.

At Kenilworth the classy Joey Ramsden-trained Cold As Ice, who is packed with natural speed but has also proved she can stay up to at least 1400m, is the one to beat in the Gr Sceptre Stakes over 1200m.

One of The other three-year-olds in the small but quality seven horse field, the Glen Kotzen-trained Double Whammy, also has plenty of natural speed and showed a blistering turn of foot when hold up tactics were tried in the Gr 1 Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas. She is the one horse in the field with the potential to upset Cold As Ice.

Double Whammy (Liesl King)

The classy Priceless Jewel is having her third run after a rest and should be running on strongly over the tough 1200m course and distance that certainly suits her style. She makes most appeal to fill the other trifecta position.

The Carl Burger-trained Dynasty’s Pride has not been disgraced against the boys in a couple of races over distances similar to the 2400m of tomorrow’s Listed Sun Classique Handicap and also comes out quite well on formlines.  However, staying races in the Cape are hard to call and although she is tipped to beat the Bass-trained pair Counting Angels and Saint Sophia, it is probably wise to go wide in this race in exotic bets.

Bass could win the Listed Jamaica Handicap over 1700m with Lucky Tuesday who led after having to overcome a wide draw last time out in the Gr 3 Victress Stakes over 1800m and faded after not quite getting home. This is a weaker field and she is better drawn so could do well with a light weight over a slightly shorter trip. Glen Kotzen has always rated Jeweller’s Joy who should be improving all the time and she is tipped for second ahead of Nonki Poo.

In the first leg of the PA the talented Sail South runs over an ideal 1400m trip from a good draw and, now that he has come into his own, he can overcome an eight point raise for his last win.

In the second leg of the PA and first leg of the Pick 6 the Australian-bred High Chaparal filly Casadesus returns from a layoff after losing ground on debut over 1200m and running a decent fourth. She is drawn well, will relish the step up in trip on pedigree and faces a weak field. It an open race but Natatela makes most appeal as the back up to Casadesus, despite the blinkers strike of Natural Blonde.

The first leg of the Jackpot could be won by the Bass-trained Tomba La Bomba, who was unlucky first time out of the maidens over the same course and distance as he was hampered when running on well, and he has drawn well again. The Justin Snaith-trained Castle could improve on his last run when ridden by an overseas jockey in the Jockeys International as he had some good form before that and is drawn well. Playingtheenemy, Rebel House and Valerin can’t be ignored either.

The last leg of the Pick 6 is another tough race,  but the ones that make most appeal are Independence, Surruptitious and Zingzilla.

In the Listed Swallow Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday, the unbeaten Ormond Farraris-trained Lazer Star looks hard to oppose at the weights.

The Listed Michael Roberts Handicap over 1750m on Sunday is highly competitive. However, Tiger’s Retreat won the Gr 2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m last season and is effectively only three points higher in the merit ratings.

This Sean Tarry-trained six-year-old gelding by Tiger Ridge has bounced back to form recently and has the in form Raymond Danielson aboard from pole position. Vienna Wood has come into his own lately and loves Scottsville, so could be the main danger. He will have a chance of recording a course hattrick from draw two carrying a light weight over a trip that should just be within his range.

Legislate, favourite since betting opened on the Cape’s premier race, failed to fire in the R1-million weight-for-age L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate over 1600m at Kenilworth last Saturday but trainer Justin Snaith reported this week that the ruling Horse Of The Year has a lung infection. With the correct treatment, he should not take long to recover. “Those who write him off are making a big mistake,” he said.

Queen’s Plate winner Futura has kicked Legislate off the top spot on Betting World’s boards. He is now 2-1 favourite, while Legislate has drifted out from evens last week to joint second-favourite with Louis The King at 5-2.

Futura was the panel’s second pick for a berth in the 20-horse field. He ran on well off a very slow pace to win the 1600m Grade 1 event last Saturday from Louis The King, who was balked until it was too late for him to make an impression on the winner.

High-class Act Of War is the only three-year-old among the entries. He has also been entered in the Investec Cape Derby. He was scratched from the Julius Baer Politician Stakes (Grade 3) at Kenilworth last Saturday because trainer Joey Ramsden believed “running him would be of no benefit in helping us decided where we go with him – the Met or the Cape Derby”.

Declarations for the J&B Met are on Monday 19 January and the final field will be announced on the same day with a ballot for draws being held on Thursday 22 January when the official gallops will be held.

The current merit log for the 2015 R2.5-million J&B Met over 2000m at Kenilworth on Saturday 31 January:

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