ICEFALL and Swaheen, who were both touched off in a tight photo finish to the 2016 Calverts Carpets Hambleton Cup, will both be back at Thirsk on Ladies Day this Saturday (September 9) to renew their rivalry,

Twelve months ago, Icefall made a gallant attempt to make all the running only to be touched off by a head by Tamayuz Magic with Swaheen a further head away in third after producing a strong late challenge.

“He ran a great race last year and I think he will run very well again on Saturday” said Icefall’s trainer Tim Easterby, who has had to be patient with the 83-rated son of Frozen Power with just two runs this season.

“He was wrong in his coat in the early part of the year, but has been in good form for some time and I have been desperate to run him, but there hasn’t been a race for him. The only recent one before the Hambleton Cup was at Hamilton and the ground was too heavy for him. There is a definite shortage of races for a horse like him” the trainer added.

One trainer who is hoping to see Icefall attempt to run them all off their feet again this weekend is Julie Camacho, who saddles Swaheen, now 5lbs better off with his rival for that head defeat.

“He is in really good nick at the moment although a little rain would definitely help as he likes to get some dig into the ground.

“He also likes a strong gallop, so fingers crossed he will get that and if it is Icefall who makes it then hopefully he will get past this time!” she said.

It is by no means a two-horse race with Michael Dods improving three-year-old Barwell at the bottom of the handicap and Alistair Whillans saddling the in-form Royal Shaheen amongst others, but it would be no surprise to see last season’s near misses fighting out the finish again.

As well as top class action on the track with an eight-race card, there will be high fashion on show off it with plenty of Ladies Day prizes to be won.

Barkers of Northallerton are sponsoring both the Best Dressed Lady and Best Dressed Gentleman competitions with £500 worth of fashion vouchers for each winner, £300 vouchers for the runners up and £200 vouchers for the third in each competition.
There is also a Best Hat competition, supported by Harrogate-based Jenny Roberts Original British Millinary, who are also sponsoring the two divisions of the Novice Stakes, the first of which is the opening race at 1.45pm.
For the Best Hat competition, there is a £350 voucher for a Bespoke Jenny Roberts hat to be won with a day’s millinery tuition at the Jenny Roberts’ studio in Harrogate for the runner-up and a hat hire voucher for the third.
The first, second and third in all three categories will also receive a bottle of champagne.
In addition, the best dressed lady will go through to represent Thirsk in the Go Racing In Yorkshire Best Dressed Lady final at Doncaster in October with the chance to win a luxury spa weekend at the Best Western Mount Pleasant Hotel, Bawtry, a £500 fashion voucher for Yasmine of Bawtry and a vintage diamond ring courtesy of loveVintagediamonds.com.