Fierce Flight Hits New High in Hawke’s Bay Cup

Emerging stayer Fierce Flight (Flying Artie) capped a breakthrough campaign with victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Listed Power Farming Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) at Hastings. 

Bought by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $45,000 from the 2020 Ready to Run Sale, Fierce Flight has now had 16 starts for five wins, three placings and $128,255 in prize-money.

Four of those wins have come from Fierce Flight’s last eight appearances, starting with a win in Rating 60 grade at Tauranga in October. The four-year-old has climbed steadily through the ranks since then, picking up further victories at Matamata and Tauranga along with placings in the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2600m) and the Nathans Memorial (2200m).

It all culminated in the autumn staying feature at Hastings on Saturday, where the Mark Walker-trained Fierce Flight produced a sustained finish from fifth-last to snatch a thrilling victory in a head-bobbing finish.

“He’s come a long way this season,” Te Akau’s racing manager Reece Trumper said. “I don’t think he is the furnished product yet, which I think you can see. But he means a lot to me and he is one of my favourite horses in the stable.

“This also means a lot because my father was brought up in Hawke’s Bay, plus my grandparents pre-trained this horse for a few months, so he has a huge following in our family.”

Fierce Flight was ridden to Saturday’s big win by Michael McNab, who was impressed by the horse’s recovery from a brief scare at the top of the straight.

“After watching all his replays, I decided that I was going to carry the stick in my left hand,” McNab said. “He was flying going straight, and as soon as I switched the whip over, he saw that and tried to duck in and lost stride.

“But I pulled it back through, got him going again and he’s got up on the line.

“He has come from a Rating 60 to a Hawke’s Bay Cup, and he’s been really good through all of those runs.”

Saturday’s Hawke’s Bay Cup produced a Karaka quinella, with the runner-up Pinion (NZ) (Pins) being passed in when offered by Seaton Park at Karaka 2020. Pinion’s reserve at Karaka was $50,000, and his 12-start career so far has produced three wins, three placings and $77,810 in stakes.

Vendor	Kilgravin Lodge
Purchaser	Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau)
Breeding	Flying Artie – First Bloom
Sale	Lot 205, 2020 Ready to Run Sale, $45,000
Bred by	Aston Bloodstock