Prior to last year's Cox Plate, which featured both Lys Gracieux and Kluger (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), who finished 13th, the only Japanese-bred horse to have contested a Cox Plate was Tosen Dandy (Jpn) (White Muzzle {Jpn}) in 2005.
Fierce Impact boasts a truly cosmopolitan background, having been purchased as a weanling for 66 million yen (AU$800,000) out of the JRHA Select Sale by international agent David Redvers before he came on to the radar of trainer Matthew Smith and owners Francis and Christine Cook at the 2017 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale.
The Smiths and Cooks had previously travelled in Japan and were keen on sourcing a Japanese-bred horse and while they had to go through Newmarket in England to find one, they were able to get a son of the legendary Deep Impact for 120,000 gns (AU$230,580).
From a one-time winner from seven starts for previous trainer David Simcock, Fierce Impact has developed into an elite performer under Smith's guidance in Australia with three Group 1 victories and over $3.2 million in prizemoney.
After his connections opted to keep him in work this season rather than seek a stud deal with the now 7-year-old stallion, he is arguably in career-best form. His first-up third behind subsequent G1 Caulfield Cup winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in the G1 Winx S. in August was followed up with his third Group 1 win in the Makybe Diva S., where he defeated current Cox Plate favourite Russian Camelot (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).
While he has three top-flight successes at the 1600 metres, Fierce Impact has only been beyond that distance three times in his Australian career. Over 2000 metres, he won a G1 Summer Cup in 2018, finished unplaced in a G1 Doomben Cup last year, and then finished third in the G2 Hill S. at Randwick last start.
That last start third, finishing 2.2l behind another Cox Plate rival on Saturday, Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), was very much a lead-in run for his major spring assignment over the 2040 metres.
The rise in distance certainly doesn't concern Smith, who has been really happy with every step Fierce Impact has taken through the spring.
"It’s been a really trouble-free prep. I'm not worried about the 2000 metres, I think that will suit him fine," he told TDN AusNZ.
"I'm not worried about the 2000 metres, I think that will suit him fine." - Matthew Smith
"Everything has gone pretty much to plan. He's had the three runs, he's worked well, he's in good order, I'm really happy with him. I'm really pleased with the way he travelled down and he appears to have arrived in good shape."
Trouble-free prep
Fierce Impact's professional approach to his work has proven a major asset for him and at his first and only look at The Valley on Tuesday morning, left his new jockey Luke Currie with a very strong impression of his demeanour.
"He was pretty casual about it all, pretty relaxed. So he was quite good, he gave me a good feel and rounded it off quite nicely," Currie said.
That was no surprise to Smith, who knows what a versatile horse Fierce Impact has become.
"He is a horse who can race either direction and he's got a lovely action on him. He's very agile and I'm sure he'll handle The Valley and he may even like it," the trainer said.
Matthew Smith and Fierce Impact (Jpn)
The only slight hiccup was Fierce Impact drawing barrier 12 on Tuesday, something Smith is hopeful that a strong tempo can help Currie overcome on Saturday.
"Life is made a lot easier when you have good barriers. I guess the quicker they go the better for him. He thrives on these high-pressure races with good tempo, so if we get that, we are a chance," he said.
Smith, who won't be there to oversee Fierce Impact's final preparations because of travel restrictions, expects him to be at his best on Saturday.
"He's sound, and so he's an amazing horse in that way. He's got that great constitution, and when you don’t have issues with their legs and things, it’s a much easier task," he said.
"When you have to manage those things with any athlete it can be a worry, but it hasn't been the case with him. He is such a sound horse and as I said, he likes all sorts of tracks. He's been such a bloody great horse and I wish I had a few more like him."
