First starter Ice Melody did a fantastic job representing the Laming Stable at Rockhampton yesterday. Scratched from the Sunshine Coast last Wednesday and instead opting for a trip up the Bruce Highway.
Leaving Monday, allowing enough time to recover fom the 8 hour trip and be at his best, ready to make his debut in a 2yo maiden over 1100m on Thursday. With blinkers on and Dale Missen onboard he was ridden positively from barrier 6, always within striking distance of the lead and dominating the finish to win by a length. An $8500 QTIS bonus made the trip very worthwhile, more than doubling the prizemoney for the race to $15000.
Sired by relatively little known stallion Freeze who stands at Yarramalong Park Stud at Kalbar just west of Beaudesert for $4400 and out of a former Laming trained galloper All Tune ,who had only 5 career starts and also won at Rockhampton. Ice Melody is her 5th foal, all of her five named foals have raced and 4 of the 5 have won races. A full yearling brother to Ice Melody is also in the Laming yard to be broken in shortly.
Another relative newcomer Mr Andre pictured, a lightly raced 4yo by Elvstroem was stepping out for his 3rd career start some 2000 kms away at Pakenham last Monday 20/5. In extremely Wintery conditions and on a heavy track he was poorly drawn in barrier 15, in a 1400m maiden. Sitting 4 deep but with cover, he enjoyed the wet conditions coming away for an easy first up win by 2.25 lengths.
A lovely big strong bay horse, he is a great type and has been given plenty of time to mature, he looks to have a promising future ahead especially over the longer trips. Ice Melody is at the opposite end of the spectrum, being 2yo sprinting type and we look forward to seeing him race again in Rockhampton next Thursday.