Circle Of Fire Impressive in Group Two Chairman's Quality

Mark Smith - Saturday April 6

A winner and stakes-placed three times when carrying the royal colours for Sir Michael Stoute, Circle Of Fire (GB) opened his Australian account at his third start for Ciaron Maher in Saturday’s Group II Schweppes Chairman's Quality (2600m) at Randwick.

Circle Of Fire opens his Australian account (image Steve Hart)

Settled midfield by Dylan Gibbons, the 4-year-old son of Almanzor (FR) came five wide around the home turn to defeat Hopeful (FRA) (Motivator) by a long neck, with the game pacesetter Double Cherry (IRE) (Make Believe) one and a quarter length back in third.

Advertisement

With his stakes breakthrough, Circle Of Fire advances his record to two wins, a second, and two thirds from nine starts with earnings of $263,687. The race was a dress rehearsal for next week’s Group 1 Sydney Cup.

“Dylan’s got a pretty good handle on him now,” Maher said

“Just what we do next start, hopefully, all going well, he’ll pull up well, and we’re going to a Sydney Cup. 

“I was always confident because he pulled a little bit last start and was able to finish, but I was a little bit nervous.

“Tim Porter and Mick Johnston (owners), I think the colours are a combination of both of them, so they are huge supporters and there’s a lot of others in there.

 “He’s had a brilliant prep, he’s improved every run, and he’s a well-credentialled stayer anyway, so hopefully he can sneak in on the minimum.”

The winner has a big fan in Dylan Gibbons.

“He’s just a monster of an animal, he gives you the best feel in the world and the problem is, in these staying races they want to go 12.5, 13 (second furlongs) and he just wants to go 11.5, 12s, Gibbons said.

A handsome son of Almanzor (image Steve Hart)

“So, you get into a bit of a battle with him. I was trying to hang onto him for as long as I could and from the half-mile, I just had to work with him with that light weight and he was very tough late.”

Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, Circle Of Fire is a half-brother to the American Gr III winner Evening Sun (Muhaarar).

He is out of the winning Galileo mare Fiery Sunset, a half-sister to Absolutely Win (Oasis Dream), a stakes winner in Macau, and a descendant of the blue hen Best In Show (USA).

Circle Of Fire is the 14th stakes-winner for the Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (FR).

Advertisment

Race Result - Schweppes Chairman's Quality Gr2 2600m

Randwick Track: Heavy(9) Time: 2:46.12
1
Circle Of Fire
- 4h Almanzor (FR) x Fiery Sunset (GB) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 53
2
0.5
Hopeful
- 7g Motivator (GB) x Monst (IRE) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: J R Collett 54.5
3
1.6
Double Cherry
- 5g Make Believe (GB) x My Uptown Girl (GB) (Dubai Destination (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Tom Sherry 53
4
3.4
So Dazzling
- 4m So You Think (NZ) x Dazzling Lady (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: Rachel King 53
5
3.7
Stockman
- 7g Tavistock (NZ) x Crimson (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Joseph Pride Rdr: Reece Jones 58.5
6
7.5
Loft
- 6g Adlerflug (GER) x Labrice (GB) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: M Zahra 59
7
7.7
Zegalo
- 7g Zoffany (IRE) x Mzyoon (IRE) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Mike Cattell Rdr: Ron Stewart 54
8
7.8
Funambulist
- 6g New Bay (GB) x Savanne (IRE) (Rock Of Gibraltar (IRE))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Declan Bates 53
9
8.1
Verona
- 5m Belardo (IRE) x Spamalot (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Jamie Kah 53
10
11.4
Marsabit
- 6g Mehmas (IRE) x Masela (IRE) (Medicean (GB))
Tnr: D A Williams Rdr: Q Krogh 53
More Reading...
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
One to Watch – Ballarat
Synthetic track meetings at Ballarat can throw up some misleading form, but a debut winner from the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable that started in the red and won by nine lengths is probably worth a closer look.
Emotions Run High as Circle Of Fire Wins the Sydney Cup
Globetrotting jockey Andrea Atzeni dedicated the win of Circle Of Fire (GB) in Saturday's $2,000,000 Group 1 Schweppes Sydney Cup (32000m) at Randwick to the memory of his friend Stefano Cherchi.
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Spring Potential for Darby Racing's Raging Force
Unplaced in the Group III ATC Breeders’ Plate last spring on debut, Raging Force came out of that race with an injury that required significant time on the sidelines, but since returning to full work his progress has been swift.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Peltzer added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.