Icy Blast, start to finish
Monday, 28 Apr 2025
Mike and Mathew de Kock saddled four runners in Race 8 over 1400m at Scottsville on Sunday, and filled four of the first six places with the winner Icy Blast, fourth-placed Bristol Hercules, fifth-placed Shoefella and sixth-placed Tyrconnell.
Bristol Hercules and Shoefella both needed their runs and acquitted themselves with promise, while Tyrconnell finished off well from the widest of draws - they're all likely to be competitive in the remaining months of the season.
But the race belonged to Icy Blast, who strode out with purpose for a pillar-to-post win under Muzi Yeni.
"I thought I had it quite easy in front from a good draw and I tried to get a break, the track was a bit loose," said Muzi. But coming into the last 200m Icy Blast had to contend with a strong challenger in Garth Puller's rank outsider Parmenion. "I was surprised at the line when it got close. Parmenion didn't want to go away. Thank goodness Icy Blast got his head down when it counted."
Most punters sighed with relief, as the 40-1 roughie could've spoilt the party, but the numbers were soon in the frame and Mathew de Kock said: "Icy Blast hadn't won for about 800 days, but that was partly because he had such a high rating as a young horse and that rating has now come down. He has always looked like a horse who'd do well from a good draw, but we had terrible draws in his first two runs for us."
Mat thanked owners Mukund Gujadur, Rikesh Sewgoolam and Laurence Wernars for their patronage, and Justin Vermaak got a mention for earmarking Icy Blast for a campaign in Kwazulu-Natal.
Icy Blast is a Lammerskraal-bred by Erupt out of Icy Spirit, by Western Winter.
Photos: Candiese Lenfena.
Bristol Hercules and Shoefella both needed their runs and acquitted themselves with promise, while Tyrconnell finished off well from the widest of draws - they're all likely to be competitive in the remaining months of the season.
But the race belonged to Icy Blast, who strode out with purpose for a pillar-to-post win under Muzi Yeni.
"I thought I had it quite easy in front from a good draw and I tried to get a break, the track was a bit loose," said Muzi. But coming into the last 200m Icy Blast had to contend with a strong challenger in Garth Puller's rank outsider Parmenion. "I was surprised at the line when it got close. Parmenion didn't want to go away. Thank goodness Icy Blast got his head down when it counted."
Most punters sighed with relief, as the 40-1 roughie could've spoilt the party, but the numbers were soon in the frame and Mathew de Kock said: "Icy Blast hadn't won for about 800 days, but that was partly because he had such a high rating as a young horse and that rating has now come down. He has always looked like a horse who'd do well from a good draw, but we had terrible draws in his first two runs for us."
Mat thanked owners Mukund Gujadur, Rikesh Sewgoolam and Laurence Wernars for their patronage, and Justin Vermaak got a mention for earmarking Icy Blast for a campaign in Kwazulu-Natal.
Icy Blast is a Lammerskraal-bred by Erupt out of Icy Spirit, by Western Winter.
Photos: Candiese Lenfena.