KEY POINTS:
Ring Of Fire will still head to the Queensland winter carnival despite finishing unplaced in Saturday's $130,000 Hawkes Bay Cup.
The high-class stayer finished fifth, 2.1 lengths behind stylish winner Valley Chief, a seeming victim of a racing bias at Hastings which all day severely disadvantaged horses that tried to make their home-straight runs towards the centre of the track.
Co-trainer Donna Logan yesterday confirmed the stable's satisfaction with that effort.
"It probably didn't look that good, but I thought it was quite good.
"They weren't making ground in the race and he did, plus he had to lump that weight [58kg].
"He's a year older and he's lazier and fatter and he'll probably take some improvement out of the race."
The favourite Cypress Point finished a little less than one length behind Ring Of Fire in sixth place, making ground against the bias even wider.
His trainer Roger James said he would make a decision to continue with his Queensland campaign after further study of the race video.
Valley Chief, runner-up Gorgeous George and third-placed Kaapeon Way were the first three around the home bend, where many of the winners and placegetters on the day came from.
Reese Jones rode a clever race on the winner.
"I tucked in behind Gorgeous George because I knew he would run off the rail on the bends and I would get a run inside him in the home straight.
"He did it leaving the straight and again going into the back straight, but he stayed closer to the rails on the bend out of the back straight and I thought for a moment I might have to make alternative arrangements on the home bend."
Fortunately for Jones, Gorgeous George came away from the rail and Valley Chief dashed up along the inside.
As he does, Gorgeous George fought very hard, but Jones felt the half-neck margin slightly flattered the runner-up.
"My bloke knocks off when you sit up and I'd sat up a few strides off the line."
Valley Chief's most important victory yet again highlighted what an underrated trainer Mark Brosnan is.
He has done a magnificent job to keep topline filly Veloce Bella at her top through a busy season, an effort mirrored with Valley Chief.
Veloce Bella is already in the spelling paddock and Valley Chief will join her without racing again if the footing looks like being badly rain-affected for the $130,000 Rotorua Cup on May 12.
Brosnan is painfully modest and less than comfortable in the spotlight.
On Saturday after the win someone said: "Great team effort."
Brosnan replied: "Yes, big effort by Reese and the horse."
Gorgeous George confirmed a Queensland campaign, one of the worst affected by the Brisbane Cup being brought in from 3200m to 2400m for the first time this year.
He was beaten only a long neck in last year's Brisbane Cup.
Ring Of Fire will have no lasting effects from the eye injury which caused him to be officially vetted twice before being allowed to start on Saturday.
"We've got no idea what caused it," said Donna Logan.
"Dean [Logan] said he was away from the horse only about 50 minutes and when he got back to him around midday he had a swollen eye."
Dean Logan bathed the eye and applied drops each hour leading into the race.
"There was nothing there he could have whacked it on. I don't know, maybe it was an insect bite."
The Logan/Gibbs stable will send classy 3-year-old filly Jazzella to Queensland on the second flight in 10 days, with Ring Of Fire to follow on the next flight.
The first plane-load, leaving tomorrow, will include Gaze and Shira from the Roger James stable and Gee I Jane and stablemate The Silence Sir.
