Gold Coast trainer Les Kelly is unsure of what to do with his quality mare Skating On Ice who scored a tough win in the Karen Millen Handicap at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Skating On Ice was on a five-day back up following her fifth to Spirit Of Boom in last Monday’s Goldmarket and Kelly is agonising over the mare’s immediate future.
“She deserves a spell but it’s hard to spell horses when they’re winning,” Kelly said.
“She’s earned a break but there’s a nice race for her in two weeks – I’ll chat to the owners and decide what to do after that.”
Skating On Ice has had a prosperous campaign and Saturday’s win was her third victory from six starts this preparation.
Winning rider Mitchell Wood defied Kelly’s pre-race instructions to go forward from barrier 10 but the talented apprentice said Skating On Ice was way too good despite travelling three deep throughout.
“She’s a class act. When we got to the top of the straight I clicked her up and she bounded away,” Wood said.
Earlier, Mr Light Blue made up for some misfortune last week when he scored a tough win in the Paddock Tickets Online Now Hcp (2200m).
Mr Light Blue looked set for victory in last week’s no race at Doomben when he sprinted to the front just as the stewards stopped the race and astute punters who took notice rallied behind the grey gelding today.
Starting the heavily-supported $1.90 favourite, Mr Light Blue settled midfield on the rail and sprinted quickly when a gap opened at the top of the straight to win by a length.
Eureka Jack ($9.50) took plenty of ground off the winner in the straight and found the line well to finish second with Bugsytwoshoes ($41) a further length back third.
Mr Light Blue set a new class record of 2:16.49 but winning trainer Barry Baldwin wasn’t overly impressed with the effort.
“You like to see them win by a bit further when they’ve had such a nice run in transit,” Baldwin said.
“I was thinking about taking him to Sydney but I’ll rethink and have a chat to the owners before I decide what to do.”
AAP TURF
