Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
With another powerful come-from-behind performance in Saturday’s G1 Inglis Sires’ at Randwick, Fireburn conquered the so-called ‘Slipper curse’ – becoming the first Golden Slipper winner to win another race since the Portelli-trained She Will Reign (Manhattan Rain) in 2017.
The four years since then have been a lean period for the winners of the world’s richest 2-year-old race. The 2018 winner Estijaab (Snitzel) had three additional starts, finishing second in the Inglis 3YO Sprint, fifth in the G2 Challenge S. and seventh in the G3 Star Kingdom S.
Godolphin filly Kiamichi (Sidestep) won the Slipper in 2019 and made eight subsequent appearances, placing in the G1 Inglis Sires’ and G2 Light Fingers S. and finishing outside the placings in her other six starts.
Brenton Avdulla aboard Fireburn gets the G1 Golden Slipper-Sires' Produce S. double | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The 2020 Golden Slipper winner was Farnan, whose two subsequent starts produced a fifth in the G2 Run To The Rose and a 10th in the G1 Coolmore Stud S.
Last year’s winner Stay Inside finished fifth in two races during the spring – the G3 San Domenico S. and G2 Run To The Rose.
A famous double
Fireburn became the 15th juvenile to ever complete the Slipper-Sires' double, and the first since the exceptional Pierro in 2012. The only others to do it since the turn of the century were Sebring in 2008 and Dance Hero (Danzero) in 2004.
Pierro, the last to complete the G1 Golden Slipper-Sires' Produce S. double in 2012 | Standing at Coolmore
You have to go even further back in the history books to find the last filly to complete this famous double, with Fireburn breaking a 26-year drought that stretches all the way back to Merlene (Danehill {USA}) in 1996.
It all adds up to a remarkable campaign for Fireburn, who has come a long way since finishing fourth at double-figure odds on debut at Warwick Farm on December 8. She has been unbeaten and unstoppable in five appearances since then, and she may not be finished yet.
Portelli is now setting his sights on the G1 Champagne S. on April 16, where Fireburn has the opportunity to become the seventh winner of Sydney’s juvenile Triple Crown.
Gary Portelli | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
The previous winners were Baguette (Rego {GB}) in 1970, Luskin Star (Kaoru Star) in 1977, Tierce (Victory Prince) in 1991, Burst (Marauding {NZ}) in 1992, Dance Hero in 2004 and Pierro in 2012. Burst is the only filly to achieve that famous feat.
But Portelli is also looking even further ahead and hoping to shoot for some major targets as a 3-year-old.
“Without taking anything away from the opposition, I thought today’s race was probably not as strong as the Slipper,” he said on Saturday. “It only meant that she had to turn up in the same order, and all week she’s been telling me she’s spot on, ready to go. So I just couldn’t wait for the race, and I just watched it, and it was easy to watch.
“She’s got a big motor, and these horses come around once in a lifetime, I feel. You know, hopefully one day we’ll put the Fireburn Stand beside the Winx Stand.
"She’s (Fireburn) got a big motor, and these horses come around once in a lifetime, I feel. You know, hopefully one day we’ll put the Fireburn Stand beside the Winx Stand." - Gary Portelli
“The streak has started now, after she was unlucky in her first start. She doesn’t show me this at home – she just does this on raceday. She’s a special horse.
“I think she’ll be back here in two weeks’ time. We’ll see how she comes through the run. She’ll tell me over the next few days what she’s up to, but I hope so. I’d love to see her over the mile, and then we can put her away.
Connections of Fireburn after winning the G1 Inglis Sires' Produce S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We’ll give her a really good spell, which unfortunately a lot of the Golden Slipper horses don’t get a chance to do, because the spring comes around so quickly. We’ll give her a good spell and make sure we’ve got a horse for next autumn, and who knows – there’s some big races worth a lot of money next year.”
Jockey Brenton Avdulla has no doubts around Fireburn’s superiority over her generation this season.
“She deserves to be Champion 2-Year-Old,” he said. “It’s a bit of history to do this double, I don’t think any filly has done it for a long time, and there’s no reason why she can’t do the Triple Crown. If she does that, she’s one of the greatest of all time.
"She (Fireburn) deserves to be Champion 2-Year-Old... there’s no reason why she can’t do the Triple Crown. If she does that, she’s one of the greatest of all time." - Brenton Avdulla
“She was probably in the worst part of the track today, and once I set her alight, she was off. She was quite soft again, so it will take a good one to beat her in two weeks.”
