| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 2007
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Fiery Falcon, syndicated for $200,000 only hours after being passed for that amount at last year's Ready To Run 2YO Sale, rewarded his connections at Addington last Friday.
The Mach Three gelding had his big payday in the $175,000 Garrards NZ Sires' Stakes Final at Addington.
He was given every chance in the trail by Colin De Filippi behind stablemate Ohoka Arizona (Blair Orange), who led after 600 metres from a wide gate.
Fiery Falcon had the last say along the sprint lane, scoring by half a length in a 1:58.1 rate (1950m), the leaders running their last 800m in 57.6s.
Outsider Reklaw's Boy finished along the markers from four back to snatch third, ahead of another late finisher in Bettor's Strike.
Fiery Falcon, initially bought by West Melton horseman Michael House for $5500 at last year's NZ Premier Yearling Sale, showed extraordinary speed when trialled leading up to the Ready To Run.
House set up a syndicate including Wellington owner Sir Roy McKenzie, and stable clients, Philip and Glenys Kennard, and Clive and Rona McKay, along with House's wife Michele, to race Fiery Falcon.
House suggested the gelding be sent to premier trainer Mark Purdon, whose record with the gelding now stands at six starts for two wins, two seconds and two thirds, for $143,845.
Credit: Harness Racing NZ
YEAR: 2007
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| Dave & Katie Carville celebrate with Blair Orange |
The Harness Jewels leader (Ohoka Arizona) had to overcome barrier 14 over the 1950m journey, launching his claim with 900m to go by challenging stablemate and pacemaker Fiery Falcon. The two Mark Purdon representatives fought like cat and dog in the home straight as Fiery Falcon came from the trail to attack Ohoka Arizona in a final attempt for success.
At the finish a just half-length separated the two as Blair Orange and Ohoka Arizona buried their main rival with ease in the end. Race favourite Mattnamara's Band fought stoutly for third 1 ¼ lengths away after racing hard in the middle stages.
Ohoka Arizona recorded a winning time of 2.23.4 in freezing conditions, posting a mile rate of 1.58.3 and his final 800m in 58.3. Not only was the Group One success special to the Carville's, but it was just driver Blair Orange's second Group One win of his career. The first coming behind Jay's Debut in the Juvenile Championship.
It was a big night for owners Dave and Katie Carville - alias Mr and Mrs No1 enthusiasts - whose first Group 1 win it was. There contribution to harness racing as breeders, owners and sponsors is more than what can be adequately said here. The Carvilles bred Ohoka Arizona from sending Millwood Krystal to Christian Cullen. Millwood Krystal, by Falcon Seelster, won two races, and is from the direct line of top mares Lancia and Valencia. "I have to thank Wayne Francis for getting into this breed, and have to thank my barber Harry Webber for insisting I use Christian Cullen, and I apologise for coming here in jeans; from the draw I just didn't think we would be up here," Carville said.
Credit: Harness Racing NZ
YEAR: 2007
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Not really tested against the cream of his crop before, and saddled with the outside of the front line in a 1950m affair that was always going to be a torrid and seemingly even encounter, Auckland Reactor went back to last early in a strung out field passing the mile before circling them with cover from the 1400m to range up outside his more favoured stablemate Ohoka Arizona down the track. But just when he could have been expected to battle in the circumstances, Auckland Reactor went into overdrive and exploded away to put the result beyond doubt a furlong from home.
The Mach Three colt was clear by almost two lengths in the end from another son of Mach Three in Fiery Falcon, a last quarter off the front in 27.5 for an overall rate of 1.57 leaving no excuses or chances.
"I could see Blair (Orange on Ohoka Arizona) was gone on the turn, and I was really only worried about Benny Mac on my back," said Purdon. "But he had done a bit of work to get round them as well," he added. It was left to Fiery Falcon to lodge a late challenge, but he never looked like troubling the winner. Colin De Filippi had performed a minor miracle at the start to get Fiery Falcon over from barrier eight and into the one-one in the early piece, but had lost such a prominent position in the running. It was still a performance which confirmed that last season's Sires' Stakes 2YO Final winner is again going to be a major factor this term however, and a pleasing result considering he only made this Final by literally the skin of his teeth in the last heat.
But it was the performance from the unbeaten Auckland Reactor which suggested he is a class above his contemporaries and a superstar in the making which had most buzzing. Purdon knew he was good, but not that good. "He has always shown the promise, but it's a long way from winning a maiden race at Washdyke (less than two months ago) to winning the Sires' Stakes. "That is a big ask, and it was a big effort. He doesn't look much, and we've been patient while trying to build him up. It's only in the last few weeks that he has started to do well and put some condition on. But he has come on lately and improved from week to week."
Purdon said Auckland Reactor, bred and raced by Auckland's Tony Parker, and the 11th foal from the Soky's Atom mare Atomic Lass, would now go for another break and "come back for the Derbys. We'll look at the Southern Supremacy Series as well next year, as that's quite a nice race now too."
Purdon's decision to drive Auckland Reactor could in no way be interpreted as a sign of confidence over any of the other five 3-year-olds from his stable that made the Final. "Blair has driven Ohoka Arizona right from the start, and I didn't want to take Colin off the other horse as he has got on so well with him. It's just the way things have worked out." Auckland Reactor only just downed Steve McQueen by a head in the Sires' Stakes Heat at Forbury Park, but he wasn't all that happy in the wet conditions. The colt felt a lot better bolting in over older but lesser company at Kaikoura and had "trained on" since then.
Ohoka Arizona, last season's top-ranked juvenile and impressive when resuming in the first heat at Addington five weeks ago, was beaten on his merits and is obviously not right. "He had every chance and wasn't good enough today," said Orange. "It's a wee bit dissappointing really," he added.
Ohoka Utah was even more dissappointing considering he trailed and dropped away to beat only Reklaw's Boy home.
Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 15Nov07
YEAR: 2007
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| Blair Orange & Mark Purdon |
Just three days before the win, Purdon, who couldn't drive in the race because he was suspended, had taken Steve McQueen to Addington for a private workout. the son of Artiscape whizzed his last 800m in just over 56 seconds during that workout, suggesting to Purdon he was back to the form that saw him dominate the juvenile events at the Auckland Cup carnival. But Orange was none the wiser as he rolled onto the track on Saturday afternoon. "Mark didn't tell me until after the race," said Orange. "I guess he didn't want me to get too carried away and out-drive him, so it worked out well. I suppose that's why he's the boss."
As it was, Orange sooled Steve McQueen off the gate and then trailed Roburascal, who rolled along at a solid clip that took mid-race challengers out of the equation. At the top of the straight there were only two winning chances, and Steve McQueen used the passing lane for a copybook victory over the leader, with Fiery Falcon just holding out Absolute Magic for third.
Both Orange and Purdon had been perplexed by Steve McQueen's mixed form since he returned from Auckland but never doubted his ability. Yet, ironically, the gelding is only Orange's third choice juvenile drive in the stable. He also drives top-ranked youngster Ohoka Arizona, who was ineligible for last Saturday's race, while he wanted to partner Fiery Falcon last week. "To be honest that was my first choice but the owners decided to go with Colin (De Filippi), so this really is a lucky win. Not that I thought there was much between them, but Steve McQueen hasn't been one of my drives before. I knew how good he was though, and it was just a matter of him showing his best and getting a little luck."
Credit: Michael Guerin writing in HRWeekly 16May07
YEAR: 2009
FIERY FALCON DIES
Fiery Falcon lost his battle with colitis last week, and died on Thursday night.
Suffering from a condition that can be caused by stress and is also known as 'travel sickness' or 'scours', the result of which is chronic dehydration, Fiery Falcon showed amazing resolve against an affliction that normally claims it's victims within 24-48 hours. He lasted for 10 days.
Raced by the estate of Sir Roy McKenzie together with Colin and Rona McKay, Phil and Glenys Kennard and Michele House, Fiery Falcon returned to the latter's property for the last two days of his life. "Both jugular veins had collapsed at that stage, which meant he couldn't pump blood around his body," said Michael House. "We tubed him when he first came home and he actually started to look good, but then his head began to swell up with blood and we couldn't get a tube up his nose to fix it," added House, who was with Fiery Falcon when he died.
The 5-year-old son of Mach Three and Falcon's Guest raced 34 times for his group of owners and was a super-consistent performer, winning on 10 occasions and being placed a further 20 times. Amongst those were Group 1 victories in the 2yo Sires' Stakes Final and Woodlands Northern Derby at three, the 3yo Harness Emerald at Cambridge last year, and up until recently he held the NZ record for a 4yo and older pacer over 2600 metres from a stand (3:13.5).
"It was a real shame," House said. "I just wanted to see him make old bones, and I reckon he could've competed with most horses. But Michele gave him a nice burial here, so he's got a place to spend the rest of his days."
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 14 Oct 2009