The Fire Burns Brightly

Age of Fire (3 c Fastnet Rock - Dragon's Tail, by Galileo) turned the tables on his Group One winning stable-mate, Embellish (Savabeel), when the pair resumed in the $50,000 Shaw's Wire Ropes 3YO 1400 metres on Boxing Day at Ellerslie.

Attended by throngs of people, on kind Dead4 footing, the meeting is always a special occasion of quality racing and fashion.

Trained by Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards, it was Emebellish that prevailed when they last stepped out, in the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) at Riccarton, Age of Fire finishing second.

Both horses were freshened on return to the North Island, and appeared in fine fettle during an exhibition gallop last week on the home track at Matamata.

In a field of seven, Age of Fire was slowest into stride, but effectively settled three back on the inner. Five lengths off the pace at the 600m and still three lengths away at the 200m, winning prospects appeared slim, but he staged an herculean effort to steal a half-head victory.

“Obviously riding the horse last start really helped and I knew I had a good turn of foot underneath me,” Cameron said.

“His exhibition gallop during the week was super. I didn't really have a choice other than stick to the inside, trust my judgement and the leader was a bit wayward the last bit and he got the job done. It was a great effort.

“He's a super relaxed colt, keeps improving, and he finished over the top like a good horse can.”

Owned by the Te Akau 2016 Sydney Breeding Syndicate No. 2, Age of Fire was purchased by David Ellis for $400,000 at the Sydney Easter Yearling Sale, from Erinvale Thoroughbreds, and his five starts have yielded two wins, two seconds, and a third.

“You wouldn't believe it, but he was a hard horse to sell,” Ellis said. “And as usual, some of the last horses to sell then turn out to be the best. I rang a couple of my good friends and loyal clients, Nita (Herbst) and Alison (Rowe) and I thank them for their support and that of all his owners.

“Jonny Schick (sponsor) has been a friend of mine for 25 years and his father (Nelson - Windsor Park Stud) a friend for 40 years. It's very hard to get the Schick money for the Te Akau owners, but this is the third time we've won this race [last year with Hall of Fame (Savabeel) and Xtravagant (Pentire) the previous year], so Jonny, it's great to see you supporting racing, you're a champion bloke and from a fantastic family.

“This horse is a serious Derby colt and you'll see a lot more of him in the next three months. He's won incredibly well today on one of the great day's racing and Steve and Jamie had the colt looking absolutely terrific. And it was a great ride by Matt (Cameron).”

Co-trainer Jamie Richards said: “It was a lovely ride. He saved ground, pulled the stick through to the left hand and he's a pretty good horse. The leaders got it pretty soft in front, but we'd been impressed with his work at home.

“His run in the (2000) Guineas was spot on and had he drawn a barrier could have changed the result, and he's a colt we're very proud to have in the stable.

“Thanks to the team at home, and when he was down south at Riccarton. The boys at home: (Cameron) Lammas and (Michael) McNab who ride the gallops and get these horses ready.”

Richards said the next race for Age of Fire is the $225,000 Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) on the first day of the Trentham carnival, 13 January, a race also won by Hall of Fame.

“He's got plenty of stretch and scope and size about him. He'll get further than a mile and he's the real deal,” he said.

Age of Fire was strapped by Mason Stevens.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz