Portelli Stable says Fireburn tracking well ahead of Autumn return

[Wandering Eyes]

Brenton Avdulla salutes on Fireburn after his incredible ride resulted in a Golden Slipper triumph for Gary Portelli on March 19. The stable is confident their three-year-old can have a strong autumn next year.

After showing some promising signs in her short spring preparation, Fireburn is ready to set next autumn alight.

Gary Portelli’s stable believes the precocious three-year-old is fast maturing and she can notch up a sixth career win when she returns to action from March next year.

“She’s having a nice spell now and hopefully she’s back for a big autumn,” Portelli’s racing manager James Fathers told HorseBetting.com.au.

After an incredible campaign last autumn which included her memorable Golden Slipper triumph, followed by a 1 ½-length Inglis Sires’ Produce victory, Fireburn came back down to Earth in September and October.

She picked up a pair of fifths in the Run To The Rose and Golden Rose Stakes, with a fourth in the Flight Stakes to round out her preparation.

But Fathers saw plenty of positive signs, and believes the only way is up from here.

“She had a good little prep in the end,” he said of the two-time Group 1 winner with almost $4 million in prizemoney to her name.

“She had a massive two-year-old campaign and was running straight at the top level at three.”

Fathers was pleased with how Fireburn finished in the Golden Rose Stakes at Rosehill on September 24, finishing less than two lengths behind Mick Price and Michael Kent’s star sprinter, Jacquinot.

“Her run in the Golden Rose was huge with some really quick sectionals late,” Fathers said.

“The Flight Stakes as an option was probably a little bit of an afterthought.

“She just didn’t really handle the back-up as well as we hoped, even though she was fresh and well at the track.

“But she raced a bit below expectations. Her sectionals in the Flight Stakes were good late, but Brenton (Avdulla) said she just didn’t travel early like the horse he was on a week before.”

Fireburn’s fast finish in the Golden Rose came on a Good 4, with her Golden Slipper and Sires’ Produce wins in Heavy 9 conditions.

“It was really nice to see her run those good sectionals at the Golden Rose to prove that she’s not just a wet-tracker,” Fathers said.

“She seems pretty capable on a Good 4 as well.”

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