Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
“It’s full steam ahead for the Golden Slipper, that’s the plan,” said outstanding trainer Justin Prentice after Aiden De Campo had driven Rolling Fire to a dashing victory in the Steel Blue Boots Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The $150,000 Golden Slipper will be run next Friday night, and Prentice is hoping to have three runners — Never Ending, Valedictorian and Rolling Fire — in the classic event for two-year-olds.
Aiden De Campo was in the sulky behind Rolling Fire for the first time on Friday night when the Roll With Joe gelding was the $3.20 second favourite behind Velocipede ($2.75), who was smartest to begin from the No. 2 barrier, with Rolling Fire racing three back on the pegs after the polemarker Advantage (8) had broken into a gallop 250m after the start and dropped back to the rear.
Velocipede began to race keenly, and this did not help his prospects. De Campo eased Rolling Fire off the pegs at the 600m and into the one-out and one-back position before surging forward, three wide, with 250m to travel. Rolling Fire quickly dashed to the front and raced away to win by just under two lengths from the fast-finishing Fess Up ($23).
Rolling Fire is raced by several prominent owners headed by Gloucester Park CEO Michael Radley. The gelding, bred by Gary Crocker, a former chairman of South Australian Harness Racing, was sold for $31,000 at the 2021 Nutrien Equine yearling sale in Melbourne. He now has had six starts for three wins and stakes of $26,450.
Rolling Fire is the fourth foal out of the Badlands Hanover mare Incendio, who had 71 starts (in WA) for six wins, 21 placings and $56,635. At her second start Incendio finished third behind Centrefold Angel in the Diamond Classic at Gloucester Park in June 2009.
Crocker, who has retained a share in Rolling Fire, bred and owned Major Crocker, who earned $996,327 from 40 wins and 51 placings from 180 starts. Major Crocker competed in Interdominion Championships in Perth in 2015 and 2016. He won an Inters Consolation in December 2015.