Mark Minervini enjoyed great success with Vormista on the racetrack, now he is hoping to do the same with one of her relations.
Mark Minervini wasn’t particularly shopping for a son of first season sire Hellbent when he went to last year’s Inglis Classic Sale, but he found a compelling reason to have a closer look at one of the stallion’s colts.
The youngster was out of Cersei, an unraced daughter of Minervini’s dual Group 1 placegetter Vormista, and the trainer ended up going to $80,000 to secure him.
On Saturday that colt, Fire And Ice , will tackle the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m) at Randwick and Minervini reckons the two-year-old has inherited his share of the family’s ability, not to mention Vormista’s ego and appetite.
“He has definitely got her confidence,” Minervini said.
“She was strong willed and had a great attitude, nothing much fazed her and she was a good eater.
“He is an unbelievable eater, you can’t fill him up, so I’d say his constitution is the thing most like Vormista.”
The colt has a tough draw in barrier 16 but with only one turn from the 1100m start at Randwick and the possibility of a rain-affected track, Minervini is keeping the faith.
Fire And Ice showed a good turn of foot when a fast-finishing fourth to Plymstock on debut last month, finishing almost on par with third placegetter Emperor, who is a $17 chance on Saturday.
In contrast, Minervini’s youngster is at $71 and the trainer is adamant he is open to good improvement.
“He’s there because he is very forward and very natural,” Minervini said.
“I haven’t had a lot of two-year-old runners, I am probably a bit cautious with them, but he just loves his work and loves stable life. He has done really well so we will keep going with him.
“We’re in it, it’s a $2 million race and how often do you get to run for that?”
Fire And Ice has been paid up for the Golden Slipper and the juvenile showpiece remains on the table if he can qualify for a spot.
