Relations to a number of stars to make their debut in Sydney 2YO race
Normally, the debut of a half-brother to the previous season's Golden Slipper winner would be the major talking point of any early-season two-year-old race.
But one stable supplying half the field, including a couple of bluebloods of their own, means the debut of Fireburn's half-brother Kintyre is just a sub-plot to Saturday's $150,000 Kirkham Plate at Randwick.
Following the scratching of Mexico, James Cummings has five of the 10 runners in 1000-metre race, including a sister to three-time Group 1-winning Bivouac and a half-brother to this month's Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile.
Godolphin's Kirkham Plate quintet
Barber (Blake Shinn): The first of three products of Exceed And Excel among Godolphin's five, the colt is out of the Lonhro mare Trim, who is also the dam of Group 3 winner Manicure. Barber defeated Stanislaus and Kintyre in a trial on October 7 before a fourth placing in another trial 11 days later.
Razors (Josh Parr): The 10th-named foal from veteran Anabaa broodmare Lobola, who was also thrown Listed winner Rusambo and Handfast and multiple Group placegetter and last-start Silver Eagle third placegetter Brigantine. The son of Golden Slipper-winning sire Sidestep has only had one official trial, which resulted in a narrow second placing.
Stanislaus (Sam Clipperton): Another by former Australian Champion Sire, Exceed And Excel, out of the mare who produced this year's Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile (Astern). Golden Mile was the third to race from Calaverite, who is by Lonhro, with first foal Calaveras (Teofilo) a winner of a 2018m Taree Class 1 and second foal Telluride (Medaglia d'Oro) a winner of a 1000m Moonee Valley maiden. Two trials, the first at Warwick Farm on September 23 when beaten 3-1/4 lengths by subsequent Debutant Stakes winner King's Gambit before a second behind Barber on October 7.
Dipsy Doodle (Rachel King): By Lonhro out of the Exceed And Excel mare Aspen, who is a half-sister to Ghisoni and Andermatt. City winner and Stakes-placed Larkspur Run is the best to do date out of Aspen and Dipsy Doodle has finished fourth and second in two Warwick Farm trials.
Faberge (Regan Bayliss): Another by Exceed And Excel who is the sixth foal from the More Than Ready mare Dazzler, whose best has been Bivouac, also by Exceed And Excel, winner of the Golden Rose (1400m), Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and the race now known as the Champions Sprint (1200m) at Group 1 level. Has had two trials at Warwick Farm, finishing fourth of seven in the first one then fifth of six last time out.
TAB rates Barber and Dipsy Doodle joint $5.50 favourites with Razor and Stanislaus at $7.50 chance and Faberge the outsider of the field at $14.
Kintyre is also considered one of the outsiders at $10. He will become the second to race from the So You Think mare Mull Over, whose only other to race is Fireburn (Rebel Dane).
Fireburn won this year's Golden Slipper and ATC Sires' at Group 1 level before a second placing in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes.
All of Fireburn's best performances have come on wet ground, which will be the conditions on Saturday, and Kintyre is by Hallowed Crown, whose progeny have a 19% winning strike-rate on Heavy tracks.
The other Kirkham Plate runner with Group 1 bloodlines is the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Coincide, a son of Invader and Conversely, who is the dam of JJ Atkins and Randwick Guineas winner Convege.
