Gibbons’ burning Fireball ambition

[Wandering Eyes]

Rising training star Daniel Gibbons is on target to celebrate a long-awaited Group race breakthrough after exciting young stayer Rohan Bale set the pace in Saturday night’s heats of the G3 KCR The Fireball (730m) at The Meadows.

Former pro wrestler Gibbons and wife Rebecca have found a Group trophy frustratingly elusive, but it could well be new kid on the staying block Rohan Bale that ends their hoodoo.

One of a number of high class youngsters in Gibbons’ Avalon kennel sired by former NSW superstar Feral Franky, Rohan Bale made his 730m debut at The Meadows in the last of three heats of the $25,000 to-the-winner Fireball.

Drawn in Box 5, Rohan Bale started $3.10 favourite, but was slow to begin and last early.

But the distance tyro staged a remarkable recovery, improving steadily along the rails before hitting the front approaching the home turn and charging clear to defeat leader Golden Quest ($3.80) by three lengths in a Best Of Night 42.85sec.

It was Rohan Bale’s seventh win from 23 starts and next Saturday’s Fireball final will be his second appearance in a Group final, having started odds-on favourite when eighth in the G3 Dashing Corsair Stayers final (710m) in Brisbane last month.

Gibbons will also have a runner in the G1 Maturity Classic final (525m) next Saturday after Kelsey Bale, a daughter of Feral Franky, was a 29.94sec heat winner.

VIDEO REPLAY

2022 KCR FIREBALL HEAT 1

Dual Group 1 winner JARICK BALE (1) kicked late to win in 43.15sec.

2022 KCR FIREBALL HEAT 2

GOLDEN RATIO (2) made up plenty of ground to score in 43.35sec.

2022 KCR FIREBALL HEAT 3

ROHAN BALE (5) came from last to win in 42.85sec (Best).

In action from the other two heats:

• Dual Group 1 middle distance victor Jarick Bale, an older half-brother to Rohan Bale, trained by Mark Delbridge, will be chasing his first feature staying trophy after winning the opening heat in 43.15sec at his first appearance over 730m at The Meadows.
• There was an upset result in heat two, with $14 chance Golden Ratio, a recent Pink Diamond Champion Distance finalist, owned and trained by unheralded Andrew Broadley at Aspendale, finishing strongly to score in 43.35sec, her tenth win from 70 starts.

GROUP 3 FIREBALL FINAL
Saturday 23 July, The Meadows

1. GOLDEN RATIO (Andrew Broadley)
2. PLAY NICE (Tim Britton)
3. ROHAN BALE (Daniel Gibbons)
4. VICTA HAYDN (Tony Rasmussen)
5. GOLDEN QUEST (Michelle Mallia)
6. DRAKO BALE (Andrea Dailly)
7. ASTON SAMBA (Ben Magri)
8. JARICK BALE (Mark Delbridge)

Reserves

9. ARIARNE BALE (Daniel Gibbons)
10. BOOM LATERAL (Graeme Jose)

The Fireball heat winners
(fastest to slowest)

• 42.85sec Rohan Bale
• 43.15sec Jarick Bale
• 43.35sec Golden Ratio

Image courtesy of Jason McKeown

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