Racing: Sydneysiders struck by a firebolt

Firebolt was ridden by Daniel Ganderton. Photo / Getty Images

Stunning is the only way to describe the winning performance by Cambridge galloper Firebolt at Rosehill on Saturday.

Unbelievable is perhaps another way of summing it up because it almost literally was.

To sit three wide without cover and race away to win easily in group two company - the Shannon (1500m) in which he easily beat Centennial Park ($5) by 3 lengths with a long head to Sacred Choice ($9) - at carnival time in Australia is not something ordinary horses can do.

Firebolt has always looked promising, but what he did at Rosehill was several levels up from that.

New Zealand racing did the connections a favour when Firebolt was the sole ballot in Saturday's $200,000 Windsor Park Plate.

Realising there was little chance of a scratching to allow Firebolt back in the field - a theory which proved to be right - James took the initiative and put the horse on a flight to Sydney on Wednesday.

Judging by Saturday's win there is no question Firebolt is in the right place to further his career.

Firebolt drew the outside gate of the 14 runners and rider Daniel Ganderton could not find a comfortable spot one width off the rail and was forced to sit out wide with no cover to the home turn. Horses weaken quickly after a run like that, but instead Firebolt charged ahead and won by a margin.

In broad-brush strokes the gap that Australian horses established on New Zealand when they embraced shuttle stallions five years before us appears as if it is starting to lessen.

It meant that Australians were racing horses of second, sometimes third-generation shuttle stallions with generally better blood than their home-based sires.

Our gene pool now includes many of the shuttle stallions and increasingly over the past couple of years we're seeing a better percentage of our horses competing well across the Tasman.

Firebolt - by Stravinsky from a Woodman mare - was a great example and the Baker-trained Mackadoo - by High Chaparral from top mare Staring - provided another in winning the opening race at Caulfield on Saturday.

Closer to home, conditions worked against Ginga Dude when he finished unplaced in the $45,000 Westbury Stud Karaka Classic at Pukekohe yesterday.

But under his 59kg on the extremely heavy track it was a good effort. It was a sound performance as a leadup to the $250,000 Spring Classic, under weight for age.

Yesterday's race was won by Matost, trained by Mark Phillips, who showed yet again he was a very under-rated type. He is yet another of the stock of Keeper who seem to be able to handle wet footing.

Windsor Park winning jockey Michael Coleman was only three-quarters of a length away from notching a weekend feature aboard stayer Sand Hawk.

He looks an early improver and could pick up a handicap at short notice, particularly before the tracks firm up. John Gray was a nose away ahead of Taking The Mickey.

The track was so heavy that it took Matost 1:51.29 for the 1600m.

"He found the weight [59kg] too much in the conditions,"said James McDonald of Ginga Dude's effort.

Atom Cat was a bit disappointing late in the race.