Lightly raced sprinter Ice Kool still has a lot to learn, but experienced jockey Jay Ford has backed him to make his mark in much higher grade than winter benchmark company.
The David Pfieffer-trained gelding took his record to three wins from four starts with an emphatic victory in Saturday’s Cornerstone Risk Group Handicap (1000m) at Randwick, his first start since finishing midfield in the Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m) in January.
Despite tugging for rein when eventual third placegetter Vella’s Best ($26) drove through along the rails to lead, Ice Kool ($2.30 fav) quickly ranged up to that horse in the straight and accelerated clear to score by 2-1/4 lengths over the fast-finishing Big Red Tequila ($6).
Ford predicts the winner to be a force in better races once he figures out how to conserve his energy.
“He just lacks race craft,” Ford said.
“He’s got an abundance of speed, but he’s still got to learn how to harness that a little bit. It’s good to be fast, but doing it in the right manner.
“When that inside horse held the front, he had to drop his head and come back, and he struggled to do that. But the talent is there. There’s a big motor there.”
Pfieffer was at Eagle Farm on Saturday, but he indicated during the week that his goal for Ice Kool this campaign was to boost the horse’s benchmark rating with a view to targetting black-type races in Melbourne during the spring.
Ford has no doubt Ice Kool has the ability to progress to that level, provided he learns to work with his jockeys.
“He is going to go well beyond benchmark racing in time,” Ford said.
“As he reaches a higher level than benchmark races, he needs to get those five per-centers right and as soon as he can do that, he’s hugely talented and you’re going to see him contest stakes races.”
