Fireworks broke her maiden with a tough win in the 2015 Widden Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, but the talented filly is unlikely to contest the 2015 Golden Slipper.
Fireworks broke through for a maiden race win in an exciting finish of the 2015 Widden Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
Fireworks was not included in the initial nominations for both the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) and Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) because she did not join the stable of Gerald Ryan until after the entries were taken, but she stamped herself as a filly to watch with two strong efforts at Gosford on December 29 and Royal Randwick on January 17.
The Snitzel filly was extremely well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 3 Widden Stakes (1100m) and she was once again settled at the tail of the field by jockey Brenton Avdulla, who gave the two-year-old a very patient ride in transit.
Godolphin filly Igraine took up the running from Gai Waterhouse-trained Giulietta at the 200 metre mark and looked as though he was going to run away from her rivals, but Fireworks was too strong on the line and recorded a narrow victory from Lake Geneva.
The past two winners of the Widden Stakes have go on to win the Golden Slipper, but Ryan believes that Fireworks could be too forward in her rookie racing campaign to make it to the $3.5 million race and is wary of asking owner John Camilleri to pay the $150,000 late entry fee.
“I don’t want to burn her out and there are plenty of races for her,” Ryan told the media after the race.
“When you look at her in the paddock, she is still giving those other fillies a lot of start when it comes to maturity.
“I wouldn’t mind giving her a couple of weeks freshen, let the dust settle and see what happens.
“We could go to Brisbane with her, there are options,
“She has got enough prizemoney to run in the Slipper, we would just have to pay the late entry.”
The Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 28 is another potential option for Fireworks, but Ryan said that he is unlikely to take the filly to Melbourne for the $1 million event.
Lake Geneva was arguably unlucky not to make a winning start to her racing career and is set to continue on a path to the Golden Slipper, while trainer John O’Shea believes that Igraine will take plenty of benefit from her tough third place finish.
Lake Geneva is now available at 2015 Golden Slipper odds of $15, while Igraine is out to a quote of $34.
