Ice Cold Alex

That one win came at Pontefract in April 2025, and it matters more than it might first appear. Pontefract is a quirky, undulating track that suits certain horses and baffles others, and getting off the mark there suggests Ice Cold Alex has some real ability when things click. The problem is that win now sits 14 months in the past, and the last six races have brought nothing better than a runner-up finish — a sequence that reads 2-4-4-6-4 and a blank, which points to a horse that is competitive without quite finding the way to win.

The most interesting challenge in that recent record is the step up to Class 2, which means some of the best races in the calendar. Ice Cold Alex has run three times at that level without winning, and a 0 from 3 record there is no disgrace — these are tough fields, and simply being placed or in contention would represent a real performance. Whether the horse is ready to crack that level remains to be seen.

Cam Hardie has been the regular partner in the saddle, riding Ice Cold Alex in six of those nine races and landing that one Pontefract victory together. That win rate — 1 from 6, or about 17% — is actually not bad for a young horse and a jockey building a relationship. The pair clearly have some chemistry, even if the wins haven't followed. Trainer Ollie Pears, based near Norton in North Yorkshire, has sent out 11 winners already this season, so the yard is in decent form. Ice Cold Alex raced just yesterday, which means this is a horse in active work and clearly being aimed at opportunities.

The profile here is of a horse with a single win but genuine potential — one that has rubbed shoulders with better company and not disgraced itself. The question is whether that Pontefract win was a glimpse of what's to come, or a high point that proves difficult to repeat.