Age of Fire Set for Trentham Group 1

The Informant reports:

Talented colt Age Of Fire has stepped out of the shadow of his stablemate Embellish, and on Saturday at Trentham he will take a shot at his own piece of Group One glory.

The son of Fastnet Rock will line up as favourite in the $225,000 Grant Plumbing Levin Classic, with owners Te Akau Racing, trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards and jockey Opie Bosson aiming for a repeat of last year's victory with Hall Of Fame.

Bought for A$400,000 as a yearling in Sydney by David Ellis, Age Of Fire played mostly a supporting role through his spring campaign with one win and three placings from his first four starts. Two of those placings were at stakes level, including a second to Embellish in the Te Akau-dominated Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.

Those two colts returned to action in a strong three-year-old race at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, where Age Of Fire stormed home from last to turn the tables on Embellish. Fellow Group One performers Ever Loyal and Belle Du Nord were also among the beaten runners.

“It was a top performance,” Richards said this week. “He got a long way back, but got the run up the fence and finished it off very strongly.”

The Boxing Day race has become a regular Levin Classic stepping stone for Te Akau, with Hall Of Fame winning both events last season. Xtravagant won at Ellerslie the previous year before finishing fourth in the Levin Classic. A stylish gallop at Matamata on Tuesday morning has given the team confidence that Age Of Fire can take his career to the next level on Saturday.

“He's been doing really well since Boxing Day,” Richards said. “His work this morning was particularly good. Opie and Steve were really happy with him and we think he's in the right order heading into Saturday.”

While the 1600 metres of the Levin Classic were at the upper limits of Xtravagant and Hall Of Fame's capabilities, it could be just the beginning for Age Of Fire. He is the $7 equal favourite (with Demonetization) for the Gr. 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 3.

“Xtravagant and Hall Of Fame were both sprinter-miler types, while Age Of Fire looks like he'll appreciate more and more distance as he gets further into his campaign,” Richards said. “The mile on Saturday should be ideal for him, and then we'll map out a plan towards the Derby.”