An unlucky third on debut in the Listed ATC Gimcrack Stakes last spring and then second in an open two year-old event won by classy colt Legislation, Fiesta was fit and ready to fire at her first run back from a summer break.
Sharpened up with two recent trials including a second to boom filly Estijaab,
Fiesta (images Steve Hart) showed courage under pressure when she was able to overcome a scuffle at
the top of the straight and over-racing in the middle stages to hit the line
hard and win for Kerrin McEvoy.To the great delight of her big team of Star Thoroughbreds owners, Fiesta won by a short neck and has now collected over $117,000 in prizemoney.
"She's certainly bullet-proof," Waller said.
"It was a good effort to see her in a bit of a scrimmage, which is not ideal when you are trying to get out, so fortunately again it opened up on the inside because the horse on her outside wasn't going anywhere.
"It is good to see a young horse under pressure come and still quicken after they have encountered a problem in the race because it might look easy watching at home but I can tell you those mid-race clashes at high speed would be like being hit by a pretty solid object."
Waller was not surprised by the impressive performance and considers the filly a big chance in the Golden Slipper.
"The writing has been on the wall, she was very unlucky in the Gimcrack then she ran second at her second start and went out for a spell and she has come back really, really well.
"There's another fillies race, the Sweet Embrace she'll most likely go there next."
Waller believes the filly now needs to be taught how to relax in blinkers to see her at her best.
"The blinkers might have been a little bit of overkill - she was a bit keen in the middle stages but it made the difference in the finish," he said.
"We'll be working hard at home to make she is more settled in the blinkers."
A $150,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Star Thoroughbreds. Chris Waller Racing
from the Fairhill Farm draft, Fiesta is the second winner from Now Now, a five
time winner by Danehill Dancer (IRE) from the family of stakes-winners Charm
Scene Land, Stick Around and Kingsgate.Now Now has no yearling for the sales this year, but produced a colt by Outreach last spring and was then covered by Golden Slipper winner Capitalist.
Fiesta is the 26th stakes-winner for I Am Invincible, who has 12 entries for Inglis Classic and 41 for Inglis Easter.
Fairhill Farm are bringing another quality draft to the 2018 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, click here to see them.
