Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
A tough front running effort from Icelady (Maurice {Jpn}) launched her from maiden into black type victrix on Saturday when the Ciaron Maher-trained 3-year-old was victorious in the G2 Thousand Guineas Prelude.
Icelady was purchased for $130,000 by Thompson Creek Thoroughbreds and Ciaron Maher Racing from the Glenn Lee Thoroughbreds draft at the 2025 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. The victory took her record to a win and three placings from five starts with earnings over $226,000.
The leap from maiden to Group 2 could keep climbing
Icelady ran her ‘worst’ effort on debut when fourth at Pakenham as a March juvenile, then ran second at the same track three weeks later. Sent to Adelaide, she ran second in the G3 David Coles AM Stakes to Brave Hustler (Anders) before being spelled.
This time in, she was again second when resuming at Geelong before bounding into Group 2 glory at her fifth start with a tough three-quarters of a length victory over stablemate Saintly Dancer (NZ) (St Mark’s Basilica {Fr}). What a way to shed maiden status!
“We always felt a little bit disappointed that she hadn't knocked off her maiden yet, but the fact that she raced as a 2-year-old, and was able to secure some black type form over in Adelaide meant that we always thought getting up in distance would suit her. We felt confident she could get the 1400, and now we’re optimistic that she’ll get 1600 metres in the Guineas,” Wes Ballantine of Thompson Creek Thoroughbreds said.
“We’re optimistic that she’ll (Icelady) get 1600 metres in the Guineas.” - Wes Ballantine
“We've been with Ciaron pretty much since he started, and we've had some good horses, but this is our first Group 2 success with him, so we're all really happy.”
Pedigree and family passion was key to the selection
Heading to the sales is a family affair for Thompson Creek Thoroughbreds, and it was Icelady’s pedigree which was a big draw card.
Icelady as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“My son, Archer Ballantine, who loves his breeding, was a big fan of the filly and kept directing us towards her. Once Ciaron had a look at her, all things came together and were able to secure her at the sales,” Ballantine said.
“It started with Maurice and then the breeder, Arrowfield. We've had some great horses through them and then the fact that my 16-year-old son fell in love with her, we felt like we needed to buy her.
“He's getting a lot of pats on the back for his selection.”
Icelady is the first foal out of the three-time winning Snitzel mare Lady Patricia. Lady Patricia is beautifully bred being a full sister to the dual Group 3 winner and ill-fated stallion Spill The Beans, and a half-sister to the two-time Group 1 winner Kenedna (Not A Single Doubt) and the recent Listed Wyong Cup winner Matusalem (The Autumn Sun).
Icelady winning the G2 1000 Guineas Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Lady Patricia has a 2-year-old filly by Maurice (Jpn), a yearling colt by Pierro and missed to Castelvecchio last spring.
This is also the extended family of the G1 Flight Stakes winner Speak Fondly (Northern Meteor) and the Group 2 winner Wild And Proud (Snowland).
“We breed a few and race a few and we always look for middle distance fillies as our aim,” Ballantine said.
“Being able to secure the Group 2, and hopefully, go and perform well at a Group 1 level is a dream come true. It's fantastic.”
Creative thinking helps find value
Maurice had a great weekend with Icelady being joined by his tough gelding Mazu who defied his eight years to bolt home and win the G2 The Shorts when resuming against a hot field of sprinters. Mazu has won 11 of his 47 starts and over $11.4 million. He cost around the same level as Icelady, being a $180,000 sale back in 2020.
Mazu winning the G2 The Shorts at Randwick on Saturday | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
In fact, that’s about where Maurice sits in the market with his 56 yearlings sold in Australia and New Zealand in 2026 averaging just over $144,000 with a top price of $475,000.
“She's very typical Maurice. You have to be slightly creative. You don't fall in love with them as yearlings. Hitotsu wasn't a wow horse to look at, but he could run. Ciaron has had a lot of luck with the breed and they come in all shapes and sizes. There's no rules to them and they all have a level of ability. You really do need to be creative when looking at them,” Will Bourne said.
“Ciaron has had a lot of luck with the breed (progeny of Maurice) and they come in all shapes and sizes. There's no rules to them and they all have a level of ability.” - Will Bourne
“She's a very good looking horse now, but obviously as a yearling, she wasn’t the strong speed imposing Australian-type yearling that people want. That’s typical of Maurice, you always need to keep that in mind when looking at them.
“We’re all guilty of (overlooking them), and even Hitotsu was passed in originally when he went through the yearling sales as a first season Maurice.”
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Hitotsu to win three Group 1 races in succession. He was bought by Wendy Kelly Racing for $100,000 in 2020. His first crop have just turned two, and he had 49 yearlings sell in 2026 who averaged just over $86,000.
Hitotsu when racing | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We buy a few in partnership with Thompson Creek every year and we've had a bit of luck with them. They’ve been a loyal group of owners for Ciaron and seem to buy a nice horse with us year in and year out," Bourne said.
Thompson Creek had no such qualms about Maurice, and Icelady’s immaturity helped them find value. The connection to Arrowfield Stud was a big blessing for Icelady too who was bred by Arrowfield Stud but went through the Glenn Lee Thoroughbreds draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
“The fact that we were able to secure her at that price level tells you she wasn't the perfect specimen as a yearling. But we were confident, given her breeding and with the dam being well related and being a Maurice that she’d grow into herself,” Ballantine said.
Maurice (Jpn) | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
“We're big fans of Maurice. He's doing great things. We actually have a Maurice colt going to the sales in the new year out of our mare, Bubbly Lass, and we’ve always really attracted to Maurice. We love how Arrowfield goes about it. As an Arrowfield bred filly at the sales she was quickly on our short list.”
Bubby Lass (More Than Ready {USA}) has a 2-year-old colt by Tagaloa and the yearling colt by Maurice. She won four races including one at Caulfield and is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution).
“Icelady is a horse owned by lots of family and friends and we've had a terrific ride together. Our mum Kaye Ballantine has been having a pretty tough time with her health of late. And so it was a huge thrill for the family to have that win for Mum.”
Connections of Icelady | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Let’s hope the Ballantine family gets a Group 1 thrill to lift the spirits for Kaye and to give Archer some more bragging rights over the rest of the spring carnival.
