‘On fire’ Avdulla in with a really healthy shout

ByKatherine S

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Brenton Avdulla can finish the Sydney autumn carnival as the leading Group 1 jockey when he partners Fireburn and Shout The Bar at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

It’s an unexpected but welcome position Avdulla finds himself in just over two months after his return to the saddle following a horror race fall that left him with career-threatening injuries.

Remarkably, Avdulla has only ridden three city winners since making his comeback and all have been in majors – Fireburn in the Golden Slipper and ATC Sires Produce Stakes, and Hinged in the Surround Stakes – before he won on Master Showman, a full brother to Trapeze Artist at Hawkesbury on Wednesday.

But those three Group 1 wins have Avdulla level with Hugh Bowman and James McDonald for the honour of being the most successful big-race jockey of the Sydney autumn carnival going into the final Sydney Group 1 meeting of the season.

Avdulla partners Firebun as she attempts to complete the triple crown in the $500,000 Moet & Chandon Champagne Stakes (1600m) and Shout The Bar in the $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1600m).

Bowman rides talented Forbidden Love, who is chasing her third Group 1 win of the autumn in the All Aged Stakes, and McDonald is on Cascadian in the 1400m weight-for-age sprint.

Chris Waller has Kolding and Hungry Heart entered for the All Aged Stakes as he looks to add to the four Group 1 winners he has prepared this Sydney autumn carnival to claim training honours.

But Avdulla’s successful comeback is one of the feel-good racing stories of the year.

“I had no goals on how many winners or Group 1 wins or anything when I returned, I just wanted to get back riding,’’ Avdulla said.

“Hinged kicked it off for me then I got an opportunity to ride Fireburn so I’ve had a really good carnival.

“The most Group 1 wins I had in a season before was two so to comeback and win three Group 1 races this autumn and get narrowly beaten in two others on Hinged in the ­Vinery Stud Stakes and Benaud in the ATC Australian Derby, is more than I could have hoped for.’’

Avdulla suffered a fracture of the C7 vertebrae in his neck and a small bleed on the brain in a race fall near the finish of the Silver Shadow Stakes last August.

He spent six months on the sidelines recuperating and watched horses he would have ridden during the spring carnival, Think It Over and Private Eye, rack up big-race wins.

“This time last year I won the Randwick Guineas on Lion’s Roar and the All Aged with Kolding,’’ Avdulla said.

“Then I thought I was in for a nice carnival in the spring building a good team around me with horses like Private Eye and Think It Over but obviously I was out injured.

“I’ve never been one to have gone into a carnival with good horses around me and the first time that was going to happen was last spring and it came crashing down around me. Even these horses I’ve picked up this autumn were sort of last minute rides.

“I landed on Hinged at acceptance time for the Surround Stakes and picked up Fireburn when Jason (Collett) went for Sejardan.

“The luck that I didn’t have any of last spring has been with me this autumn but that’s the beauty of racing, you just have to keep turning up and working hard because you don’t know what is around the corner.’’

The Gary Portelli-trained Fireburn gave Avdulla his second win in the Golden Slipper when she scored last month after he rode Estijaab in her 2018 triumph. Fireburn then won the ATC Sires Produce Stakes brilliantly and is on the verge of completing the coveted triple crown in the Champagne Stakes.

Sydney Racing

Fireburn races away with the Inglis Sires’ Produce. Picture: Mark Evans–Getty Images

“These are the horses you dream of riding,’’ he said. “Fireburn has been able to string Group 1 wins together and is going for a Triple Crown. I’m very lucky to have found her so early in my comeback.

“She has definitely been the dominant two-year-old of the season and is probably a bit stiff not to be unbeaten. She has won at 1100m, 1200m, 1400m, different race shapes, heavy ground, firmer ground – she has done everything, ticked every box.’’

Avdulla has no issues with Fireburn running out a strong 1600m in the Champagne Stakes.

“When she hit the front in the Slipper she put a margin on them very quickly and she was strong through the line in the Sires,’’ Avdulla said.

“I’m sure she has more to give and it’s exciting to see her out to a mile.’’

Avdulla rode Fireburn in her fast gallop at Warwick Farm on Tuesday morning and declared the filly was going as well as ever into the Champagne Stakes.

“She galloped nicely (Tuesday) morning, she is holding herself together and was bounding off the track,’’ Avdulla said.

MULTIPLE SYDNEY AUTUMN GROUP 1 WINNERS

JOCKEYS

3 – Brenton Avdulla: Fireburn – Golden Slipper, Sires’ Produce), Hinged (Surround Stakes)

3 – James McDonald: Verry Elleegant (Chipping Norton), Nature Strip (TJ Smith), Anamoe (Rosehill Guineas)

3 – Hugh Bowman: Forbidden Love (Canterbury Stakes, George Ryder), Fangirl (Vinery Stud Stakes)

2 – Jason Collett: Montefilia (Ranvet), Lighthouse (Coolmore Classic)

TRAINERS

4 – Chris Waller: Verry Elleegant (Chipping Norton), Nature Strip (TJ Smith), Hinged (Surround Stakes), Fangirl (Vinery Stud Stakes)

2 – Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott: Converge (Randwick Guineas), Knights Order (Sydney Cup)

2 – Ciaron Maher and David Eustace: Lighthouse (Coolmore Classic), Hitotsu (ATC Australian Derby)

2 – Gary Portelli: Fireburn (Golden Slipper, ATC Sires’ Produce)