Three unbeaten juvenile stakes-winners – Empire of Japan, Platinum Jubilee and Godfather – lined up in the open juvenile race over 1100m at Randwick on Saturday, but none of them emerged the winner.
The Brad Widdup trained Hellbent filly Fire Lane had race fitness and experience on her side with a debut win in the Max Lees Classic over 900m at Newcastle in early November followed by a good fourth to Sovereign Fund in the Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic.
She sat outside the leader on that occasion and faded, but this time Jay Ford rode her with cover and it proved a winning move.
Platinum Jubilee worked forward to lead and controlled the race before kicking clear and looked certain to win until Fire Lane surged late to grab her by a nose with the colts Empire of Japan and Godfather working home for third and fourth.
All four have designs on the Gold Coast with the $2million Magic Millions 2YO Classic over 1200m likely to provide a rematch.
“She jumped clearly and could have led on her ear, but we wanted to find cover with her to see if it would help her cause and it certainly did,” said Jay Ford
“She knuckled down and did a good job to weave her way through and got her head down when it counts.
“She’s heading to the Gold Coast, so she needed to run out a strong 1100 today to give us confidence to go to six (furlongs) and she did that.”
Brad Widdup is optimistic about the chances of Fire Lane at the Gold Coast.
“You don’t want to go to the Gold Coast and be a sitting duck, so if she can draw a gate up there and have a soft run she’s going to be right in the race," he said.
A $330,000 purchase for BK Racing & Breeding/Brad Widdup Racing from the Yarraman Park Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Fire Lane is the fourth winner from as many to race from the Charge Forward mare Heritage Lane.
A half-sister to the dam of Group II VRC Edward Manifold Stakes winner El Daana, Heritage Lane was on-sold by Yarraman Park for $70,000 to LJ Ibbotson & PA Ibbotson at this year’s Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when carrying a full sister to Fire Lane.
