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| Staff Writer |
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Golden Slipper heroine Fireburn will try to emulate the likes of Pierro, Sebring, and Dance Hero on Saturday in adding the Inglis Sires' to her CV and her trainer Gary Portelli said she has come through her win in brilliant order.
Earlier in the season, much of the talk surrounding Portelli's juveniles were about his colt Sejardan, but the Warwick Farm-based trainer noted he hadn't been surprised by what his filly has done.
It's something I only see on race day, I don't see that in trackwork, she's a real racehorse, she just does things that I think a lot of people didn't recognize until race day."
Portelli admitted that he had watched the Golden Slipper replay a few times after Fireburn demonstrated her resilience to bounce back from the interference that she suffered mid-race to record a sensational victory.
Having won at her past four starts in succession, Fireburn is out to break the Golden Slipper curse when she runs in the 1400-meter G1 this weekend.
No horse since Portelli's first Slipper winner, She Will Reign, has won the Rosehill feature and then gone on to win another race since, and Portelli is of the opinion that a lack of a break between the Autumn and Spring Carnivals is a key factor behind that.
Portelli used She Will Reign as an example of a horse who benefitted from a lengthy break following her two-year-old preparation, as she had six months between winning the Golden Slipper and then taking out the Moir Stakes at her first run as a three-year-old.
As for Fireburn, Portelli wouldn't rule out continuing her autumn campaign beyond Saturday, before she enjoys her break.