Consistent southern mare Fiery Red (NZ) (Iffraaj) relished the testing conditions at Wingatui on Sunday, collecting top honours in the Grand Casino R80 1600.
The Iffraaj mare has been a reliable performer for Sophie Price since entering her stable in 2021, winning six races in 33 attempts prior to Sunday’s contest, where she was light in the market drifting to $4 while Anticipate and Gintys Girl were backed into favouritism.
Local apprentice Ruvanesh Muniandy decreased Fiery Red’s top-weight to 56kg and settled her quietly in midfield, allowing Gintys Girl and Sadler’s Lass to set a strong tempo up-front. The pacemakers began to tire on the home turn and Fiery Red hit the lead, holding out a strong challenge from the well-performed Taramea Lad to score by 1 ¾ lengths.
Price was complementary of Muniandy’s efforts after the race, which was the first of his three winning rides on the card with Aglow and Hakaharry also saluting.
“She couldn’t have been ridden any better, he did exactly what we told him to,” Price said.
“I was a little bit concerned it may have been a bit too wet for her because she’s not a real wet tracker, but she’s won really well and has pulled up well afterwards.”
The meeting is the last at Wingatui for the season and with racing wrapped up in Southland as well this term, Price is unsure where she will take the six-year-old next.
“My plan originally was to go to Timaru and then up to Ashburton this Thursday, but with the first meeting being canned we came here today instead,” she said.
“She’s not a horse that can back-up straight away so we won’t be going to Ashburton, but there is an option at Oamaru so I’ll see how she comes through this race and go from there.
“If she strikes a really wet track like Oamaru was the other day, she may struggle a little so I’m sitting on the fence at the moment.”
Fiery Red was bred by Chequers Stud in Cambridge, and has surpassed $105,000 in stakes earnings for connections.
“She’s a typical red-head and a bit fiery so she lives up to her name, but she is a wee honey and has gotten better with age,” Price said.
“I got her from Mark Fraser-Campin, I got in contact with him to see if he had any he wanted to lease out and she had just had a trial at that stage. She came down and won her first start with us.
“I get quite a few horses from Mark, he’s been really good to me over the years and he sent another two down recently. One is called Stormy Belle, and another that is an unnamed Belardo three-year-old so hopefully we can get them up and going for next season.”
Sunday’s success was Price’s eighth for the season, her highest total to date with 57 starters. “I’m really pleased with my season, it was the most wins I’ve had in a season so that’s pretty cool and all the horses have done their job,” she said.
