New Stakes-Winner for Blue Gum Farm’s Flying Artie

Tara Madgwick - Saturday April 15

Transferred to Blue Gum Farm this year, Group I producing sire Flying Artie might be better known for his sprinters such as Royal Ascot bound Artorius, but it was an Aussie bred staying type in Fierce Flight that delivered his latest stakes success.

Less than a neck separated the first three home in Saturday’s Listed Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m), with race favourite Fierce Flight getting in the deciding stride to take out the feature event on the day at Hastings.

Fierce Flight gets in the deciding stride to win the Listed Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) Photo: Race Images – Peter Rubery

The Mark Walker-trained four-year-old brought impeccable form to the contest, having won two of his last five stars and came into the race off the back of a runner-up finish behind Ess Vee Are in the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2600m).

Rider Michael McNab settled the son of Flying Artie in a comfortable position in midfield before tracking the well fancied Pinion into the race at the 600m.

Colorado Star hit the front at the 250m, with Pinion and Fierce Flight chasing hard, before McNab lifted his mount in the final few strides to down Pinion by a nose with a head back to Colorado Star in third.

Te Akau Racing manager Reece Trumper was quick to praise the development of Fierce Flight who won his first race back in February last year and has now collected his first black-type victory at just his 16th start.

“He’s come a long way this season and full credit to all the staff at home as they have really worked hard in the last few weeks where we have had a bit of a shortage of staff,” Trumper said.

“Getting a result like this is just great for everyone.

“I don’t think he is the furnished product yet, which I think you can see and he means a lot to me as he is one of my favourite horses.

“This also means a lot as my father was brought up in the Hawke’s Bay, my grandparents pre-trained him for a few months, so this horse has a huge following in our family.”

Advertisement

McNab admitted he had been a little concerned in the run home when the horse tried to duck sideways.

“I just said to Reece that I had watched all his replays, so I carried the stick in my left-hand and he was flying going straight and as soon as I switched it over he has seen that and has tried to duck in and lost stride,” McNab said.

“I pulled it back through, got him going again and he has got up on the line.

“He has come from a rating 60 to a Hawke’s Bay Cup winner and been really good through those runs.”

Fierce Flight is the fifth SW for Flying Artie.

Purchased by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis for $45,000 from the Kilgravin Lodge draft during the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale at Karaka, Fierce Flight is a half-brother to stakes-winner Exoboom from stakes placed Dylan Thomas mare, First Bloom.

He was sourced in Australia as a weanling, bought for $30,000 from the Newgate draft at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.

The fifth stakes-winner for Flying Artie, Fierce Flight has now won five of his 16 starts for owners, the Te Akau Out Of Bounds Racing Partnership and over $128,000 in prizemoney.

Flying Artie will stand at a fee of $16,500 this spring.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Mark Ford Joins Widden Victoria as Stud Manager
Widden Stud is delighted to announce the appointment of Mark Ford as Stud Manager of its Victorian farm at Riddells Creek.
Wakefield Gears Up for Another Busy Season
Wakefield Stud is preparing for another busy breeding season in 2025, as the business continues its re-emergence in the industry after coming under new ownership in 2024.
Glorious Goodwood Day 1- Bluebloods, Bargains and Tragedy
The famed Glorious Goodwood meeting got underway overnight with three Group races contested that saw all of the favourites rolled with a new G1 winner for Justify, a first stakes-winner for a young Frankel sire son and a return to form for Golden Eagle winner Lake Forest.
Stewart honoured with Young Achiever at NZ National Breeding Awards
White Robe Lodge’s Jack Stewart was recognised with the Mary Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award at Saturday’s National Breeding Awards in Karapiro, highlighting his growing impact on New Zealand’s breeding and racing landscape.
Doomben Debut Winner for Anders
Widden Stud’s young gun Anders added a seventh first crop winner to his tally on Wednesday with a debut victory at Doomben for handsome chestnut gelding Anders’ Style.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 30
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Exceedance 2yo Express Class Surprises On Debut
Surprisingly unwanted in the betting, having won two of his four jumpouts prior to making his debut, the Gerard Maloney trained Exceedance 2yo Express Class got the better of the race favourite to make a winning debut in the Sportsbet Race Previews Handicap (1000m) at Sandown.
Velocious sells for staggering $1.625m on Inglis Digital to Yulong
The G1-winning 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) tonight became the second most expensive filly ever sold on Inglis Digital, realising $1.625m to the bid of Yulong.
Glorious Goodwood Day 2 – Field of Gold is No Frankel
The second day of the Glorious Goodwood meeting was supposed to be the one where charismatic grey three year-old Field of Gold smashed his elders to win the Group I Sussex Stakes (1m), but that didn’t happen and instead we saw the longest priced G1 winner in British history.
Promising Tagaloa Winner
Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan went to Warwick Farm on Wednesday hoping she had a horse with a bright future and now she knows she has after two year-old colt Tambeloa relished a step up in trip to break his maiden.