FIGHTING SUN TO STAND AT EPI

On the eve of what was widely tipped to be his career defining achievement, FIGHTING SUN has been retired to stand at Eliza Park International.

To paraphrase the song lyrics, the Golden Slipper is the chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of chance and according to those in the know, he had a better chance than most.

This was some racehorse. Gai Waterhouse, a 5-time winner and ‘reigning’ Golden Slipper trainer, had long flagged Fighting Sun as ‘my Slipper horse’ and promise became performance with Fighting Sun’s Rosehill debut on 4 January.

In a headline screaming ‘Fighting Sun lives up to hype’, the Telegraph’s chief racing writer, Ray Thomas, posed the question as to why you would bypass the $2 million Magic Millions and answered it by simply noting that the $3.5 million Golden Slipper took preference.

Even three months out from the big race, Waterhouse stable representative, Mark Newnham, enthused: “He’s a quality colt … Gai has always had a huge opinion of him and he’s definitely Slipper material”.

But the Rosehill debut was merely a trailer to what would ultimately be Fighting Sun’s main event … the Canonbury Stakes on 15 February.

If there was anyone who had a question mark over Fighting Sun’s ability, it was dispelled when the Northern Meteor colt turned one of Sydney’s most prestigious juvenile events into a demolition job. Trailing lengths behind in the Canonbury was subsequent G2 Todman Stakes winner Ghibillenes who may well continue to frank that form when he lines up in Saturday’s Slipper.

But it was all Fighting Sun after the Canonbury: “This is a serious horse,” Waterhouse said post race. “The horse he beat is very smart but the winner has everything you want to see. The acceleration he showed was electrifying!”

Waterhouse had a willing disciple in jockey, Tommy Berry. Asked by Waterhouse if his flourish with the whip after passing the post was “practice for the Slipper”, Berry was quick to reply that “I don’t ride a colt this good every day”.

High praise indeed from the jockey who rode last year’s Slipper winner, Overreach, for Waterhouse.

“I’m really excited,” Berry added. “He’s a really laidback colt but once he pings out he is all class. I believe he’s the best 2YO in the stable … good 2YOs keep on improving which is exactly what this colt is doing.

“He really put them away quickly … when I won on Able Friend in Hong Kong last season I knew immediately he was a superstar in the making … this colt gives me a similar feel. He has a superb action, you can make two or three runs on him in a race and he will find plenty if something makes a race of it with him.”

And with Waterhouse’s eyes clearly winning the world’s richest juvenile race for a sixth time, the first lady of racing summarised: “Remember this was only his second start, so how good is he?”

Unfortunately, that’s a question that can never be answered as Fighting Sun suffered a suspensory injury in the Canonbury and, despite holding out a slim hope of recovery, the decision was made this week to stand him at Eliza Park International this spring.

For starters, he is the highest rated 2YO colt by the ill-fated Northern Meteor, whose legacy includes Zoustar, Romantic Touch, Eurozone and Bound For Earth. Additionally, Fighting Sun is out of the Group One winning mare Irish Darling.

It’s also worth remembering that the Canonbury has been taken out by two of Australia’s current leading sires in Sebring (who went on to capture the Slipper) and Not a Single Doubt.

Eliza Park International CEO, Alvin Lui, confessed that it will probably be a case of “what could have been” as he watches the Slipper on Saturday but was buoyed about Fighting Sun’s potential as a stallion: “He is the first of the Sun International horses to stand at stud and one thing is for sure, he will receive tremendous support.”

And although Gai Waterhouse will have two other runners in the Slipper on Saturday, there is bound to be a tinge of regret that Fighting Sun isn’t among them.

“This was a very good racehorse … based on his looks, temperament and explosive pace, I’m sure he’ll make it as a stallion too!”

 A service fee for Fighting Sun will be announced in the coming weeks, but for further enquiries, please phone Eliza Park International’s Sales & Nominations Manager, Mark Lindsay, on 0416 334 338.