Gary Portelli’s Golden Slipper winning filly Fireburn is the two-year-old to beat again on another bottomless Sydney track when she steps out as favourite in the Group 1 $1 million Inglis Sires’ (1400m) on Day 1 of The Championships.
The flying daughter of Rebel Dane has been faultless this prep and chases a fifth consecutive victory in Saturday’s Inglis Sires’ over 1400m.
Her two most recent lead-ups have produced impressive victories on Heavy going when defeating She’s Extreme fresh in the Group 2 Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m) at Randwick before her miraculous win in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) on March 19.
From the inside alley, Fireburn and Brenton Avdulla combined to take out the world’s richest race for juveniles by over two lengths despite suffering severe interference before the home-turn.
Stepping-up to 1400m looks ideal for the Slipper winner this weekend with Fireburn presenting fit third-up from a favourable barrier six draw.
The latest Inglis Sires’ odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have her at $2.50 to keep the winning streak going and complete the Slipper – Sires’ double in Sydney for the first time since Pierro (2012).
History is against her as a filly however with the last female two-year-old to win both races being Merlene (1996).
The danger and early market mover is Showcourt for Chris Waller, the Snitzel colt still a maiden after two runs but firming into $8 to post his first win on the big stage on Saturday.
After a third on debut at Canterbury in February, Showcourt ran two lengths back fourth to Sejardan in the Group 2 Todman Stakes (1200m) on a Heavy (10) here on March 5 and has been kept fresh since.
Anthony & Sam Freedman’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner Daumier ($9) in gate 11 coming off a brave fourth in the Slipper at 20/1 is also right in the mix with the benefit of a Sydney run now behind him.
The other single-figure fancy is She’s Extreme in barrier 12 for Tommy Berry, the Anthony Cummings-trained daughter of Extreme Choice the only other filly in the mix.
Good when second in the Sweet Embrace, the classy chestnut franked the form with a win in Rosehill’s Group 3 Magic Night Stakes (1200m) before her mid-field seventh in the Slipper.
She’s Extreme was checked the early stages and held-up late making her unplaced performance forgivable and one she and Berry will be out to atone for in the rematch.
The inside alley in the Sires’ on Saturday belongs to the Joe Pride-trained Shalatin ($21), a late scratching from the Golden Slipper, while Let’srollthedice ($13) puts an unbeaten record on the line.
Danny O’Brien’s visiting Victorian was last seen winning Flemington’s Group 2 VRC Sires’ over the 1400m on March 12, Let’srollthedice heading north looking to repeat the feat in the Sydney edition.
The 2022 Inglis Sires’ is scheduled to run as Race 6 at 3:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s 10-race Randwick card.