From Icebath to Fire Lane … those are the dots that trainer Brad Widdup will be hoping to connect as he lines up another possible success story in his training career.
The six-year-old mare Icebath has been an ultra-consistent performer at the highest level under Widdup’s care.
She landed a well-deserved Group 1 win in her last start when taking out the Empire Rose at Flemington. That result rubber-stamped her high-profile performance level with her previous victory in the $2 million The Invitation, her runner up finishes in the Doncaster, the Cantala Stakes (both Group 1 races) and the Golden Eagle … as well as a host of other placed runs … all doing the stable proud.
But, this week the Widdup stable point of focus shifts from Icebath to Fire Lane … the relatively new kid on the block who looks more than capable of making a statement of her own … as Widdup prepares the Hellbent filly for her big assignment in the $2 million Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Some will say Fire Lane already made a huge statement in her last start when he upstaged both Platinum Jubilee and Empire Of Japan in what the betting indicated would be a two horse race between the two big stable combatants over 1100m at Randwick on December 24.
The bottom line there was that Fire Lane won purely on her own merit. Settling two lengths behind the front-running Platinum Jubilee and two lengths in front of Empire Of Japan until entering the home straight, both of those rivals, as well as Godfather, all actually got first run on Fire Lane in the straight … and headed her … as she had to edge off the rail and angle around the heels of Platinum Jubilee to get a clear run.
Once in the clear, Fire Lane stormed home, knocking out all of her rivals in a straight fight to secure a victory that was full of merit as she showcased not only her inherent ability, but her fighting character. She was really up for it.
There is no doubt that big stables leave some bookmakers a bit shaky when they set the odds … and generally that caution is justified.
It is no surprise then that Empire Of Japan from the Peter and Paul Snowden stable remains firmly at the top of the betting boards for the Two-Year-Old Classic at $4.80, in spite of only finishing third in the race discussed above, although, in fairness, that was still a good effort and this Saturday’s race increases the distance test from 1100m to 1200m.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Platinum Jubilee shares a place on the second line of betting for the big race at $7.50 (with Sovereign Fund) and then there is …. well, you have to scroll down past another five horses in the market before you get to Fire Lane at a price of $17!
That is a $12.80 longer price that Empire Of Japan, a horse Fire Lane beat fairly and squarely last time?
Jay Ford has ridden Fire Lane in all of her three starts to date.
They won the Max Lees Classic over 900m at Newcastle on debut on November 12. They then finished fourth a month later in the Wyong Magic Millions Two-year-Old Classic, coming home less than two lengths behind Sovereign Fund, before going on to claim that courageous win at Randwick.
There is very little wrong with her form and, even allowing for the highly competitive nature of the contest, $17 looks to be generous odds.
From Icebath to Fire Lane indeed.
No one says it is going to be easy, but that warm feeling of success certainly seems to be well within Widdup’s reach.
