A winner and stakes-placed three times when carrying the royal colours for Sir Michael Stoute, Circle Of Fire (GB) opened his Australian account at his third start for Ciaron Maher in Saturday’s Group II Schweppes Chairman's Quality (2600m) at Randwick.
Settled midfield by Dylan Gibbons, the 4-year-old son of Almanzor (FR) came five wide around the home turn to defeat Hopeful (FRA) (Motivator) by a long neck, with the game pacesetter Double Cherry (IRE) (Make Believe) one and a quarter length back in third.
With his stakes breakthrough, Circle Of Fire advances his record to two wins, a second, and two thirds from nine starts with earnings of $263,687. The race was a dress rehearsal for next week’s Group 1 Sydney Cup.
“Dylan’s got a pretty good handle on him now,” Maher said
“Just what we do next start, hopefully, all going well, he’ll pull up well, and we’re going to a Sydney Cup.
“I was always confident because he pulled a little bit last start and was able to finish, but I was a little bit nervous.
“Tim Porter and Mick Johnston (owners), I think the colours are a combination of both of them, so they are huge supporters and there’s a lot of others in there.
“He’s had a brilliant prep, he’s improved every run, and he’s a well-credentialled stayer anyway, so hopefully he can sneak in on the minimum.”
The winner has a big fan in Dylan Gibbons.
“He’s just a monster of an animal, he gives you the best feel in the world and the problem is, in these staying races they want to go 12.5, 13 (second furlongs) and he just wants to go 11.5, 12s, Gibbons said.
“So, you get into a bit of a battle with him. I was trying to hang onto him for as long as I could and from the half-mile, I just had to work with him with that light weight and he was very tough late.”
Bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, Circle Of Fire is a half-brother to the American Gr III winner Evening Sun (Muhaarar).
He is out of the winning Galileo mare Fiery Sunset, a half-sister to Absolutely Win (Oasis Dream), a stakes winner in Macau, and a descendant of the blue hen Best In Show (USA).
Circle Of Fire is the 14th stakes-winner for the Cambridge Stud shuttler Almanzor (FR).
