Cold As Ice and Easy Lover ...

Cold As Ice and Easy Lover fly the flag for CTS

It was a bumper weekend for CTS graduates as first Cold As Ice blew away a strong field of fillies to win the R400,000 Gr2 Choice Carriers Championship over 1400m at Kenilworth on Saturday, before Easy Lover following in her footsteps, easily accounted for the R135,000 Listed KZN Guineas Trial over 1600m at Greyville on Sunday.

Cold As Ice, trained by Joey Ramsden, may have started as even money favourite, but she was up against the Gr3 Lanzerac Diana Stakes (1400m) winner Double Whammy and the Gr3 Champion Juvenile Cup (1400m) winner Jet Set Go. Double Whammy under Greg Cheyne took the early lead from a wide draw, with Cold As Ice tucked in behind her. Bernard Fayd’Herbe waited patiently until well down the home straight, before pressing the button on Cold As Ice. The effect was electric, as the filly moved up a couple of gears and scorched clear, leaving Double Whammy trailing in her wake. Stopping the clock in 88.20 seconds despite being eased in the latter stages, Cold As Ice crossed the line 1.25 lengths clear, with Double Whammy in second and Jet Set Go in third. A confident Fayd’Herbe explained that he was never in any doubt as to who was the better filly, comparing her acceleration to that of a Porsche!

By Western Winter, out of the talented National Assembly mare Viva, Cold As Ice was consigned by Avontuur Stud at the 2013 Cape Premier Yearling Sale, where she was snapped up by Brian Finch and Wayne Kieswetter’s Ridgemont (Pty) Ltd for R875,000. With the gentlemen deciding to keep it an all female affair, Cold As Ice races in the colours of their wives, Kathy Finch and Belinda Kieswetter.

With three victories and a second from four starts, Cold As Ice now heads for the Gr1 Avontuur Cape Fillies Guineas, where she is likely to clash with Double Whammy again, as well as Mike de Kock’s Champion Two Year Old filly, Majmu.

Sunday saw Duncan Howells’ Easy Lover live up to her name as she blew away the Listed KZN Guineas Trial field at Greyville, winning easily by 2.5 lengths under Stuart Randolph and accounting for the short priced favourite, the Mike de Kock trained, Trip To Rio in the process. It was Easy Lover’s third victory from six starts for owners Mr I F M van Schalkwyk and Mr G P Stoltz.
By Right Approach out of the Rich Man’s Gold mare, Miss Gold Digger, Easy Lover was consigned at the March Yearling Sale by Arc-En-Ciel Stud, where she was knocked down to Howells for R120,000.

CTS press release