Source :- THE AGE NEWS
David Pfieffer believes a refreshed Ice Kool is primed to bounce back at Randwick on Saturday from a flat performance as the Warwick Farm trainer looks to step the speedster up to stakes grade in Melbourne.
Ice Kool’s unbeaten run in Sydney came to an end last start when fourth, two and three-quarter lengths off Hawker Hall, in an 1100m benchmark 88 handicap on July 25 at Randwick.
The four-year-old Zoustar gelding faded after racing forward, three wide without cover, a spot he was able to overcome at his previous start over 1000m in 78 grade. Previously, his only defeat in four starts was seventh in the $3 million Sunlight 3YO Plate (1100m) on the Gold Coast in January.
Pfieffer gave Ice Kool a six-week freshen up before he returned with a sharp, front-running trial win at home on September 3, and he was confident the talent will fire again. He nominated him for the $1 million group 2 Shorts over 1200m but opted for the easier task in the last, a benchmark 88 handicap over 1100m.
“He raced a fraction flat,” Pfieffer said of the most recent run.
“I know he was three deep, but he’d get away with that in the past, although I know you can’t keep doing that as you go up in grade.
“I think he appreciates being kept that bit fresh and obviously being up on pace, but just these little things he does wrong are signs of immaturity and a lot of it comes down to him being a boy in a man’s game.
“For now, we’ll just take these baby steps while he’s developing his trade. Even just stepping slow from the gates, it’s just little things he’s doing wrong that aren’t helping him.
“But I thought his trial was super. He stepped away from the gates nice, put himself on pace, travelled along at a comfortable tempo without overdoing it. He ran good sectionals without asking a lot of him.
“And his coat, I think come Saturday, it will be the best he’s looked his whole career, and like the old saying goes, when they look good, they race well.”
Pfieffer has long planned to test Ice Kool, a $3.80 chance on Saturday, on the straight courses in Melbourne over the spring carnival and he was eyeing the group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) on October 10 at Caulfield.
“Getting some experience down at Melbourne will do him good and, let’s be honest, he doesn’t need to be taking on these sprinters heading to the Everest, unless he comes out and blows them away on Saturday,” he said.
“Then you might rethink and go, do we throw him in the Premiere? But at this stage, you are taking the safer play.”
At Newcastle on Friday, Pfieffer has Oh Diamond Lil ($4) from gate one in the group 3 Tibbie Stakes. She was sixth first-up in the Mona Lisa Stakes.
“She was three deep for a bit then she had to push across and get to the front,” he said.
“I just don’t think she got that mid-race breather, and being a six-year-old mare now, she’s probably holding a bit more condition and the fitter horses had her covered.
“She wasn’t beaten far, her sectionals were still strong. They went five lengths above average mid-race, so that’s going to test a lot of horses out first-up. She’s come out of it well.”
