Ace Queensland horseman Robert Heathcote will use a Gold Coast race this weekend to try and get his in-form filly Femme Fireball into next month’s lucrative Restricted Listed $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) field.
Trainer Robert Heathcote is racing to get his filly Femme Fireball into the 2018 Magic Millions 3YO Guineas field at the Gold Coast on January 13. Photo: Daniel Costello.
A promising daughter of former Golden Slipper winner Pierro, Femme Fireball is racing against the clock to earn enough prize money to make the Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas line-up on January 13.
Only very lightly-raced for a three-year-old, the filly has had three career starts for a duo of wins earning just $21,900 in prize money.
Currently she sits well down the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas order of entry in equal 88th position and Heathcote knows time is against him to beat the ballot.
“She’ a very nice filly and a daughter of Pierro but I’m not super confident about her chances of getting into the Magic Millions Guineas,” he told Racing Queensland.
“She’s nowhere near qualified yet and will need to run very good on Saturday.”
Femme Fireball has her next run on the weekend at the Gold Coast track in the $60,000 Magic Millions 13 Jan QTIS Three-Years-Old Handicap (1200m) where she is drawn a treat in barrier four with Ron Stewart to ride.
The latest markets on the sprint at Ladbrokes.com.au list Femme Fireball as a $6.50 shot, the open odds currently led by Toby Edmonds’ ultra-consistent local Winter Bride ($5.50) and the returning Steven O’Dea-trained Francisca ($5.50).
After a fifth on debut at the Sunshine Coast back in early November, Femme Fireball has won her latest two starts at the Gold Coast over 1200m and most recently a 1350m Class 1 at Doomben on December 8 with Luke Nolen aboard.
“Luke got off her and was very impressed,” Heathcote said of the filly’s success in the Origin Jockeys’ series event.
Following the weekend’s race, Heathcote plans to back Femme Fireball up at Doomben Racecourse on December 30 in the $200,000 Group 3 Magic Millions Vo Rogue Plate (1350m).
“Her aim is the Magic Millions Guineas but she’ll need to go on to the Vo Rogue after this run to get enough prizemoney to qualify,” he said.
Whether or not the filly makes it to Magic Millions Day this summer, Heathcote has big future stakes’ ambitions with the well-bred galloper.
“I think she’ll develop further and make a nice Stakes filly later on but this race on Saturday is a throw at the stumps,” he admitted.
“I’m not super confident about her chances as she’s coming back in distance from 1350 metres to 1200 metres which is not ideal.
“She also tends to get back and fillies like her are always at a disadvantage.”
Femme Fireball is right down the futures Magic Millions 3YO Guineas betting for next month sitting as a $101 outsider at Ladbrokes.com.au with markets led by another Pierro progeny, the Gregory Hickman-trained colt Pierata ($4).