Paul Webber Racing

ICY COLT (ARG) going clear to win at Wetherby on wednesday.

ICY COLT winning this week gave us all particular pleasure. His owner, Robert Kirkland has not enjoyed the best of racing luck in recent seasons. He owned the promising Star Shot with us, who sadly went on a downward spiral after winning his bumper and novice hurdle impressively, even one of those 'Welsh Wizards' could get no tune from him! Then Robert had the real misfortune to loose a lovely horse, Pop, who was trained for him by Henry Daly.

Three days after i returned from Argentina, where i had just bought ICY COLT as a yearling at the Bullrich yearling sale in Buenos Aires, Robert stepped upto the plate and bought him off me. That was quite a leap of faith, as although Argentine horses are proven to be a great success all over the world, this idea of buying unbroken N.H. stores was a new one. This horse is six months younger than his contempories and so has needed the time to catch up. He has really begun to strenghten and thrive since the spring and has always loved jumping, something they never do in Argentina! He was quite impressive in a modest contest at Wetherby, but will only continue to improve and will develop into a decent novice chaser next season, on good ground.

We have our first two Cheltenham runners of the season today and think that both are fit enough to do themselves justice. EDGBRIAR is Dominic Elsworth's come-back ride after his fourteen month absence from the saddle due to a horrible head injury. These two have looked in tremendous form when schooling together in recent weeks and both look ready to go well! SCAMPI BOY has improved so much physically that he barely resmbles the horse we had in the spring. I hope he's leniently handicapped at this stage, but will improve for the run. In these competitive eighteen runner handicaps, we'd be pleased to be in the first five.