The Matthew Smith-trained Fierce Impact may not fit the profile of a typical Australian-stallion prospect, but his racetrack record, as one of only three three-time Group 1-winning sons of Japan's most influential sire of the 21st century, is becoming hard to ignore.
All three of his elite-level victories have come over the 1600 metres and he will look to further underline his class when he tackles the G1 Turnbull S. and the G1 Cox Plate at his next two starts.
Managing owner Francis Cook said the decision to continue to race Fierce Impact as a 7-year-old, rather than accept stud deals that the owners felt were below his true value, was a fairly straightforward one.
Fierce Impact's (Jpn) winning connections, including Christine (centre-left) and Francis Cook (centre-right)
"There was always a temptation if someone came up with the right money but the bottom line was, it’s very hard to get that deal done. All the studs seem to want these 'flash-in-the-pan' 2-year-old types," Cook told TDN AusNZ.
Cook and his wife Christine learned from their experience of trying to get a stallion deal done for their four-time Group 1-winning son of Zabeel (NZ), Preferment (NZ), now standing at Brighthill Farm in New Zealand, the challenge of finding a stud future for a horse that sits outside the 'fast and precocious' mould favoured by so many breeders in Australia.
"All the studs seem to want these 'flash-in-the-pan' 2-year-old types." - Francis Cook
"Fierce Impact is a miler and that should attract the studs, but we are happy for that to be next year. We have just decided, and there are five of us in the ownership, that we love racing the horse and unless something came out of the woodwork that was a really good offer, we’d rather race him on and enjoy it," Cook said.
It was the vision of trainer Matthew Smith that led to Fierce Impact being purchased for 120,000 gns (AU$235,000) at the 2017 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale. A one-time 66 million yen (AU$880,000) foal purchase for David Redvers out of Japan, he had won one of his six starts for David Simcock in the UK and Europe up until that point.
Fierce Impact (Jpn)
The Cooks had previously travelled to Japan with Smith and his wife Melissa and had hatched a plan to buy a well-bred Japanese runner and Fierce Impact fitted the bill. His dam, Keiai Gerbera (Jpn) (Smarty Jones {USA}) was a multiple stakes winner, and the decision to purchase was franked six months later when his younger brother Keiai Nautique (Jpn) won the G1 NHK Mile Cup.
At his seventh start in Australia, Fierce Impact claimed his first stakes success in the G3 Summer Cup. Last spring he established himself as one of Australia's best mile handicappers, winning both the G1 Toorak H. and the G1 Cantala S.
Trouble-free and in-form
Twice placed in Group 1 weight-for-age races in the autumn, Smith and the owners hatched a plan to ensure he would have every chance of being at his best, against the best, this spring.
"He has had a trouble-free preparation this time in. We decided to spell him up in Queensland. That was a masterstroke because he has come into this campaign in great condition and he's just been trouble-free all the way through," Cook said.
"He has come into this campaign in great condition and he's just been trouble-free all the way through." - Francis Cook
"It makes a big difference with a horse trying to win Group 1 races if you don’t have any problems along the way.
"Matt wanted to have three weeks between each run, and gave away the Memsie two weeks ago, so we stayed up in Sydney and had three weeks into this, then three into the Turnbull and then three into the Cox Plate."
After a close-up third in the G1 Winx S. on his return, Fierce Impact proved himself the superior horse at Flemington on Saturday, outgunning highly rated 4-year-old Russian Camelot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) to win the G1 Makybe Diva S.
Watch: Fierce Impact (Jpn) winning the G1 Makybe Diva S.
Zahra delivers
Mark Zahra rode the 7-year-old for the first time with his usual Melbourne rider Craig Williams otherwise engaged and delivered the perfect ride
"Mark was fabulous. Craig Williams has been his jockey right through and Craig already had a ride in the race. He recommended Mark. He had a word to him about the horse and his quirks," Cook said.
"He is quirky in the fact that when he hits the front, he wants to pause to see where the others are at. Mark had to be onto that and about 50 metres out, he had to straighten him a bit, because he was having a bit of a look.
"We were happy that he was hot-headed by Russian Camelot because he loves chasing. Because he had something to chase down, he really accelerated and that was the key to that win."
Fierce Impact (Jpn) winning the G1 Makybe Diva S. in front of Russian Camelot (Ire)
The Cox Plate is of, course, the ultimate goal, with Cook saying Smith has every faith that Fierce Impact can carry his dominance out to the 2040 metres at Moonee Valley on October 24.
He is also full of praise for the commitment of the stable to campaign the horse in Victoria through the spring, something which COVID-19 protocols have not made easy. Smith has sent down the stables' Nikki Hunt to oversee his preparation.
"All credit to Matty Smith, and his staff. Nikki went there three weeks ago to quarantine and be there for him when he arrived and she is staying down there on her own until he is through to the Cox Plate. That's the amazing dedication the staff have to him," he said.
"It’s great for the horse, and of course she has to quarantine when she gets back. It will mean that Matt will be without her for eight weeks. Matt does a marvellous job with his horses and deserves every success."
