Fireburn, Sejardan Face Off in Golden Rose

Trainer Gary Portelli is confident Fireburn (Rebel Dane ) and Sejardan (Sebring ) can show there's no hangover from their stellar first seasons, in the AUS$1 million Golden Rose (G1) on yet another damp track at Rosehill Sept. 24.

The canny Warwick Farm conditioner's mastery of 2-year-olds was shown again last term as Fireburn became Australia's champion juvenile, winning the Golden Slipper (G1) and Sires' Produce Stakes (G1) double before running second to She's Extreme in the Champagne Stakes (G1), in quest of a sixth straight win and the 2-Year-Old Triple Crown.

And Sejardan—bred by part-owner Dale Miller from a mare, Miss Amajardan (Hinchinbrook), he bought as a yearling at the Inglis Scone sale for just $6,500 (US$5,225) and saw become an early Longines Golden Slipper (G1) favorite—was one of the outstanding 2-year-olds of last season, in a crop dominated by fillies.

The powerful colt—an $160,000 ($122,792) Inglis Classic purchase by Portelli—won the Arrowfield Breeders' Plate (G3) and the $1 million Inglis Rural Property Golden Gift in his first two starts, and the Slipper trial, the UNSW Todman Stakes (G2) in his fourth.

Portelli has said he was confident of winning the Slipper one way or the other on the morning of the race. While Fireburn stole the headlines with her breathtaking win, her stablemate was a widely overlooked poor-luck story, being blocked for runs more than once most of the way up the straight, only breaking clear when the stable's star bird had flown.

The two clashed again first-up in the Furphy Run To The Rose (G2) at Rosehill on Sept. 10. Both were settled too far back, however, and—especially with modern racing's biggest scourge at play again with the rail this time plonked out five meters—had little hope of hauling in the leaders. Fireburn worked home from eighth at the 400-meters to finish a five-length fifth, with Sejardan a neck behind her in seventh.

Though Sydney seems now to have just the one climate—the wet season—the change in racing season can often bring a shift in the form landscape, with precocious 2-year-old stars caught by later-bloomers. Several hints are there at present, with last term's young talents such as Daumier , Sebonack , and Semillion—who ran first, fourth, and fifth in the Blue Diamond Stakes (G1)—having made underwhelming starts to their 3-year-old spring.

Others have made steps the other way, appearing to boom from quieter beginnings, such as Golden Rose chance Jacquinot, and Caulfield Guineas (G1) favorite Aft Cabin. Golden Rose favorite In Secret didn't race until winning at Hawkesbury a week before the Slipper. Second-favorite, her Godolphin stablemate Golden Mile debuted with a Ballarat Antenna Solutions victory the week before.

But while some may ask the inevitable seasonal questions about Fireburn and Sejardan, Portelli has no fears about waiting for the confirmation. He arrived at Rosehill on Golden Slipper day feeling he'd land the prize with one of his runners and sounds almost as confident as the race nears.

"A lot of us trainers are in the same boat. We're all hoping our 3-year-olds come back and do the business like they did at 2," Portelli said.