Fireburn in ‘good order’ ahead of Sires’ Produce Stakes

Fireburn Golden Slipper
Fireburn wins the 2022 Golden Slipper. (Photo: Lisa Grimm)

How do you go from the sky-high feeling of a “miraculous” Golden Slipper win to re-focusing your filly for a heavy-track run in the $1 million ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday?

The answer is a simple one, and a response which welcomes the wet conditions.

That is the opinion of superstar two-year-old’s trainer, Gary Portelli.

“It’s all good. She’s worked great and looks in good order,” Portelli told HorseBetting.com.au.

“Her two runs on a heavy track have both been good and I think we’ll definitely get a wet track.

“There’ll be nothing to worry about there.”

Of course, Portelli is referring to Fireburn’s memorable heavy-track victories in her past two starts – the $5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 19 and the $200,000 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on February 26.

Also a Golden Slipper winner with She Will Reign in 2017, Portelli is still on a high from Fireburn saluting in this year’s edition.

It ranks as one of the great all-time Slipper triumphs, right up there with Belle Du Jour’s “freakish” come-from-behind win in 2000, after Fireburn was third-last coming into the turn at the 400m mark.

That was before Brenton Avdulla – set to again ride Saturday’s $1.95 favourite with – made his move, brilliantly weaving through the pack from the inside to go on and win by 2.5 lengths.

“Belle Du Jour was something special, but for me this is even more special given the fact that I trained her,” Portelli said.

“Going from a horse who was out of play to getting a miraculous run through, it was one of those days where all the stars aligned from the 500 onwards.”

Avdulla certainly deserves the fortune that has fallen his way before climbing aboard Fireburn for the second time in another Group 1 feature on Saturday.

It was only in February when he came back from a horror fall at Randwick almost five months earlier.

The 2017-18 Sydney premiership-winning rider suffered a fracture of his C7 vertebra in the base of his neck when he was thrown from the ill-fated Xtremetime in the Silver Shadow Stakes on August 21.

The time injured meant Avdulla missed out riding Private Eye and Think It Over, who went on to win some of Sydney’s biggest spring features.

“We’ve had a lot of luck with Brenton over the years. Unfortunately for Jason Collett he took the colt (stablemate Sejardan in the Golden Slipper),” Portelli said.

“He (Collett) was unlucky in the end. But it’s funny how things happen because he did a lot of work on the filly, and Brenton got the lucky ride in the Slipper.

“But had things been different and he rode the filly, it turns out he can’t ride on the weekend anyway.

“So it worked out good for us, and Brenton now gets a second ride on the filly, not his first taste.”

Portelli chose to keep things under wraps when talking about Fireburn’s future, as she strives for a rare Triple Crown title.

Pierro (2012) is the last horse to complete the coveted juvenile Triple Crown, which comprises the Golden Slipper, ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes (at Randwick on April 16).

Burst (1992) is the only filly to win the treble.

But if Fireburn wins again on Saturday, Portelli might then pull out a few superlatives to describe her incredible natural ability.

“It’ll be interesting to see what happens tomorrow. If she wins tomorrow, then the world probably is her oyster,” he said.

“But I think we need to see it twice, so let’s see what happens.”

Portelli also has $81 outsider Clyde running in Saturday’s $2 million Australian Derby (2400m).

And he believes the three-year-old gelding can be competitive, despite the generous odds.

“He’ll stay. That’s one thing that will happen. On a Heavy 10 it’s going to be a lottery, so we’re in the race,” he said.

“He’s rock-hard fit and the heavy track might bring him into calculations. Probably on form he’s not good enough, but certainly the track will bring him into the race.”

Portelli is enjoying a fine season in the NSW trainers’ premiership standings, sitting in 11th place with 40 wins.

“It’s been a good few years. It’s been a build-up – it doesn’t happen overnight,” he said.

“This is just fruition of some hard work and finding the right horses.

“It’s taken years and years of learning the trade, and finally getting the horses who can do the job, and not stuffing it up.”

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