The Seymour-based father and son operation saluted a win on their home track on Sunday with five-year-old gelding Fire Tribe, ridden by Ethan Brown, storming home in race seven — fittingly the Hope Racing 0-62 Handicap — to win by a head from Sharp Response in second.
A heavy track awaited those who turned out for the eight-race card at Seymour, but the soggy straight didn’t worry Fire Tribe one bit, having sat sixth with 400m to run but closing rapidly to take a brilliant victory over 1400m.
Speaking to Racing.com following the win, Brown praised Fire Tribe’s fitness, which allowed him to time his run perfectly to be ahead when it mattered — at the post.
“He bounced well, I thought the race set up good for us,” he said.
“There were a few horses working in front of us, so I thought ‘I’ll time my run here’, because he’s a fit horse, I could keep him balanced through the corner.
“But they actually quickened quite well and they dropped him for a bit, but he’s fit, he stuck to his work, and he certainly arrived at the right time.
“He is a bit of a thinker, so it probably played to his benefit.”
It was a first-up win for Fire Tribe, having been freshened for three weeks, with Lee Hope hinting an increase in distance might not be too far away.
“He ran here one day, and he wasn’t quite right, he pulled up not really good,” he said.
“But he will get a mile, I think, it’s just the way he goes, he hit a flat spot but at least this was good for his confidence.”
In other results, the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Lathlain took out the bet365 3YO Maiden Plate by half a length in race one, while the new training combination of Shane Nichols and Hayden Black scored their first win together as Brash Lass was first past the post in the second race of the day, the VXCOM Maiden Plate.
Race three, the Mangalore Park Fillies and Mares Maiden Plate, was claimed by Ruska Roma, a three-year-old filly trained by Grahame Begg, while Power Pivot, trained by Ken and Kasey Keys, took out the Lubeck Plumbing Maiden Plate in race four by just over a length.
Dean Binaisse had a winner with Eye of Epaulette in race five, the Mailbag Bloodstock BM58 Handicap, while Nimbustwothousand made it a successful outing for Gavin Bedggood, claiming a win in the sixth race of the afternoon, the Reece Goodwin Racing BM64 Handicap.
The final race of the day, the G.D. & S.L. O’Sullivan Builders BM58 Handicap over a mile, was taken out by the Lindsey Smith-trained First Chorus, passing the post a length ahead of Vegas On Fire.
Punters won’t have to wait long for another day out at Seymour Racing Club, with the next meet scheduled for Thursday, September 11, while it is just over a month until the club’s marquee race day, the Seymour Cup, on Sunday, October 12.
11°C