Freeze Warming Up For Big Race

Illawarra Mercury

Thursday March 6, 2003

IT'S a long way from a midweek event at Canterbury to the $3 million Golden Slipper but the Gai Waterhouse stable remains confident the unraced Freeze can make the grade.

Tonight's opening event at Canterbury - The Wests Tigers Handicap (1100m) - takes on a Golden Slipper flavour.

Apart from the Marscay juvenile Freeze, Exceed and Excel from the Tim Martin yard has also been prominent in discussions surrounding the world's richest race for two-year-olds.

Freeze will be ridden by Jim Cassidy with Exceed and Excel a Hugh Bowman mount. The Bob Thomsen-trained Resistor (Glen Boss) adds further intrigue to the race.

Freeze was bought for $400,000 at the William Inglis yearling sale and is part-owned by Hunter Valley-based Vinery Stud.

The colt has had four trials in two preparations.