I’m A Fireball scores emphatically at Turffontein Inside (JC Photos)
The Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained I’m A Fireball (Vercingetorix) proved himself a force over racing’s in-between distance category (1450m) on Saturday at Turffontein Inside.
I’m A Fireball carried 54 kg off his 108 merit rating in the Pinnacle event and it was never going to be easy to get into his favourite pace-setting role from draw three with the front-running type Parisian Walkway drawn in pole position.
However, he had got there by the early part of the turn and Muzi Yeni said he had responded well when asked to have a breather going up the hill.
He stayed on resolutely to beat the long-striding Dianne Stenger-trained Mastership (Master Of My Fate), who was always handy from draw two, by 1,75 lengths.
Texas Red also enjoys the in-between distance cetagory, which is neither a sprint nor a mile and is traditionally not a distance that is well catered for when it comes to big Gr 1 races. He relaxed well despite being caught wide in a handy position from a wide draw and stayed on for a 2,75 length third.
Money Heist ran on well for a three length third, while Parisian Walkway probably did not enjoy the soft going and after having the box seat he could only plod on for an eight length fifth.
I’m A Fireball will have the Grand Heritage over 1475m in December as an option.
The Gr 2 Joburg Spring Challenge over Saturday’s course and distance could be an option, but it is a weight for age with penalties race, so will be a tough ask, but could answer the question of whether he is up to races like the Gr 2 Hawaii Stakes over 1400m.
I’m A Fireball was bred by Klawervlei Stud and was purchased for R1 million at the National Yearling Sale.
He is out of the Irish-bred Rock Of Gibraltar mare Gibraltar Blue, who was trained by Mike de Kock in South Africa for seven wins, including three Gr 2s, a Gr 3 and a Listed race.
Gibraltar Blue and her progeny raked in a lot of money in the recent Klawervlei Dispersal Sale. She herself went for R325,000 but two of her daughters fetched seven figure sums with Vercingetorix mare Cullinan Blue, a three time-winner from just eight starts, fetching a Sales-Topping R3.1 million.
Yeni had earlier scored with Brave Waam, a Tony Peter-trained gelding who confirmed the impression that the stallion Hawwam is going to follow in the footsteps of his sire Silvano by having progeny who will continually improve. Brave Waam only started his career in the February of his three-year-old season and took four runs before getting off the mark in June, has has now won three of his last four starts.
