Cold As Ice drops back in trip for the £45,000 Listed Unibet Cleves Stakes (1.45pm), the first of two Fast-Track Qualifiers on Polytrack at Lingfield Park on Saturday, February 6.
The winner of the six-furlong contest is guaranteed a free start in the £150,000 Unibet All-Weather Sprint Championships over the same distance at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, March 25. A dual Group Two winner in her native South Africa, Cold As Ice is now based in Newmarket with William Haggas and got off the mark at the second attempt for her new trainer in a valuable seven-furlong conditions race at Chelmsford City on December 21. The four-year-old ran below expectations on her British debut when fourth to Lamar in a Fast-Track Qualifier over the same distance at Wolverhampton in November. Haggas said today: "Cold As Ice is fine. I'm not concerned about the step back in trip because her connections tell me she will be better over six furlongs. "I thought it was pretty good performance at Chelmsford and she should keep improving. "This run qualifies her for Good Friday and I would say this will be her last run before then. "I suppose this will tell us whether we go for the fillies' race or the sprint. It will be interesting to see how she gets on." A maximum field of 12 goes to post for the Unibet Cleves Stakes and there is further international interest courtesy of German challenger Gamgoom (Mario Hofer/Martin Harley), who was runner-up to Lancelot Du Lac at Chelmsford City last time out when making his British debut. Other notables include prolific All-Weather performer Chookie Royale (pictured)(Keith Dalgleish/Tom Eaves), potential improver Angelic Lord (Tom Dascombe/Richard Kingscote) and Alben Star (Richard Fahey/Tony Hamilton), who triumphed on All-Weather Championships Finals Day in 2014 and was runner-up last year. Lightscameraction (Gay Kelleway/Luke Morris), winner of the 2015 Unibet Three-Year-Old Sprint Championships on Good Friday, also runs, as does course and distance Listed scorer Intransigent (Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy), last year's winner Rivellino (Karl Burke/Dougie Costello), Godolphin's lightly-raced four-year-old Shamardal filly My Call (Saeed bin Suroor/William Buick), Goodwood winner Golden Steps (Marco Botti/Andrea Atzeni), consistent Boomerang Bob (Jamie Osborne/William Carson) and three-time victor Justice Good (David Elsworth/Tom Queally).
Festive Fare (pictured below)(William Buick) headlines nine declared runners for the £45,000 coral.co.uk Winter Derby Trial (2.55pm) over 10 furlongs. Trained by Charlie Appleby, the Godolphin-owned four-year-old is unbeaten in three starts on the All-Weather and is the ante-post favourite for £100,000 Group Three Coral Winter Derby over the course and distance on February 27.
His rivals on Saturday are led by Captain Cat (Roger Charlton/Jamie Spencer), winner of the Ladbrokes Mile in 2014, and in-form filly Lamar (James Tate/Luke Morris).
All-Weather specialists Grendisar (Marco Botti/Adam Kirby) and Complicit (Paul Cole/Graham Lee) also run, as do the Sammy Jo Bell-ridden Mitre Peak (Richard Fahey), Brocklebank (Simon Dow/William Twiston-Davies), Charles Camoin (Sylvester Kirk/Martin Dwyer) and Watersmeet (Mark Johnston/Joe Fanning).
The main handicap on the card is the £45,000 Ladbrokes Handicap (3.30pm, 14 runners) over seven furlongs which has a maximum field.
Realize (Stuart Williams/Oisin Murphy) heads the weights on 9st 10lb after capturing a similar contest over the course and distance on January 22.
Racing gets underway at 1.10pm and finishes at 4.35pm.
