By Glenn Davis
Christmas came early for trainer Rob Heathcote when promising filly Femme Fireball scored a rousing win at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Femme Fireball had only two runners behind her on the home turn when jockey Ron Stewart let her loose coming around the field to win in a canter in the Magic Millions January 13 QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1200m).
It was the third straight win for the daughter of former champion sprinter Pierro after winning her two previous starts at Doomben and the Gold Coast.
Femme Fireball proved superior for her rivals by downing Francisca by one length with third placegetter, Susurri, only a neck away.
“For some reason she seems to like the Gold Coast as she’s won here twice now,” Heathcote said.
“It’s close to Christmas so we needed an early Christmas present.”
Heathcote went to the Gold Coast believing Femme Fireball faced an uphill battle to qualify for the Magic Millions Guineas but his throw at the stumps was on the mark.
Femme Fireball was a $50,000 buy at the Magic Millions sales and has now earned $62,100 in prizemoney with three wins from four starts.
“Luke Nolen got off her after she won an Origin Jockeys race last start and he said she could be something special,” Heathcote said.
“I didn’t really want to run her here today but we had to if she was to get into the Magic Millions Guineas.
“She’s got around $60,000 in prizemoney now but it probably won’t be enough so I’ll have to back her up next week.”
Heathcote will run Femme Fireball in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1600m) on December 30 in her final bid to qualify for the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 13.
Earlier Criquette showed a glimpse of her early two-year-old days with a runaway win in the UBET Calcutta Dinner Class Three Plate (1200m).
Criquette made it four wins from eight starts leading all the way to down Prue’s Angel by one length with Snitzel’s Joy, a further 2-3/4 lengths away, third.
Criquette was one of Queensland’s star youngsters in her two-year-old season before going amiss after winning on debut at Doomben in October 15.
She suffered from suspensory problems and then a hairline fracture in one leg.
The Kelso Wood-trained youngster never raced again for 18 months but did win two of her five starts in her next campaign.
Racing Queensland webnews December 23