BRADBURY’S MARE FIRES UP!
Gelnlogan Park’s exciting young stallion Bradbury’s Luck continued his impressive march up the National Sires table on Saturday with yet another stakes winner in the form of the Robert Heathcote trained mare Fire up Fifi.
Seven days ago it was a son of Bradbury’s Luck (Luckygray) saluting in the final G1 race of the calendar year over in the west, but this weekend it was his progressive mare in the east stealing the honours in the Listed Just Now Handicap.
Like so many of her sire’s progeny, Fire Up Fifi is building up a very impressive race record – having now won or placed in 15 of her 22 career starts.
Trainer Robert Heathcote has long been a fan of his mare and is excited about what the prospects for the future hold.
“This mare just keeps answering every question we ask of her and she improves each time she sets foot on the track,” Rob said. “It wasn’t all that long ago that she was running around in midweek grade and now here she is winning in stakes company at a distance that is definitely short of her best.”
Fire Up Fifi, who was racing second up over the 1300m, jumped cleanly from the inside alley and then settled beautifully just ahead of midfield. As the field straightened it was obvious that she was going to be in the finish as she really started to gather momentum despite jockey Ryan Wiggins’ still sitting very quietly aboard her.
Coming to the 250m Wiggins forced his way out between runners and then the Bradbury’s Luck mare flattened her ears back and set off after the leaders – overhauling them in fine fashion as she charged late.
“She has got a heart as big as herself and plenty of ability to match,” Wiggins said. “I thought today’s race was probably going to be too short for her but at the 600m it was just a matter of getting out and I knew she would be winning.
“Wait until she gets to the mile though – that is when you will see the best of her.”
Heathcote now intends to step his charge up another notch in the coming weeks before giving her a quick rest.
“She will now go to the (Listed $200,000) Bernborough Handicap in two weeks and then we will send her to the paddock with next year’s winter carnival in mind,” Rob added. “Sending her out after that run will be perfect as it will have been a relatively light preparation and she should be going out on top of her game.
“If she takes the steps I think she will – then I am sure we will be very competitive in plenty of the big races next year.”
