Fanning The Flames. Keagan Latham has Celtic Fire on a tight rein as he surges clear in the Listed Memorial Mile (Coastal Photos)
Yvette Bremner’s gallant 7yo Celtic Fire continued his outstanding association with the Listed Memorial Mile when he won the R130 000 weight for age feature for the third time in four years at Fairview on Friday. The R50 000 BSA graduate also confirmed his membership of the equine millionaire’s club, and he hardly looks finished with the business of funding his pension.
Celtic Fire was beaten by the Glen Kotzen trained visitor Fabiani in 2011, but he made it a double in the race when he scooted clear of his field under a confident ride by Keagan Latham.
The Bezrin gelding also showed no after effects of an unsuccessful tilt at the Charity Mile in Johannesburg six weeks earlier, where he had not shown after jumping from the worst of the draw.
The 9 to 10 favourite, and Celtic Fire’s main rival in the race, Changingoftheguard was up with the pace but ran a poor race to finish second last of the ten runners.
Celtic Fire was settled nicely in third place on the rail about three lengths off as Stone Pine led Changingoftheguard.
Into the home run Stone Pine fell away as Changingoftheguard flattered briefly, with Latham giving Celtic Fire his head as he grabbed a three length advantage.
In a win described as a ‘walk in the park’ by enthusiastic PE race caller Bumpie Schoeman, Celtic Fire charged clear and won in a canter.
Celtic Fire started at a very generous 17 to 2 and won by 2,25 lengths by 94,89 secs.
The very genuine Mitch Wiese trained Silent Partner confirmed his recent form resurgence with a staying on second, ahead of Two Gun Kid and the low flying Russian Mig.
Celtic Fire is a Golden Acres Stud-bred son of Bezrin out of the Centenary mare, Celtic Bunny and was a R50 000 National Two Year Old Sale graduate.
Celtic Fire is now a winner of 16 races with 19 places from his 52 starts for stake earnings of R1 100 675.
