One Dingaans-Bound, One to Ponder

Mike and Mathew de Kock will be discussing Gimme A Fireball’s immediate future with Hollywood Racing following the colt’s excellent win in a Progress Plate over 1200m at TAB Turffontein on Saturday.

Gimme A Fireball was some way out at the weights with most of his rivals, including the quality three-year-old Turn It Up and three hard-knocking older runners. He disposed of them without a maximum amount of effort, Callan Murray not even pushing down on the pedal, and has ‘stakes winner’ written all over him.

“He was green and just ambled when he got to the front, but I really like what I felt,” Callan said.

The problem, as Mat pointed out, is that there are no suitable stakes races for three-year-old sprinters, which makes the Grade 2 Dingaans over 1600m on Betway Summer Cup Day a tempting option – though Gimme A Fireball may or may not see out the tough TAB Turffontein mile.

Gimme A Fireball finished fifth in the recent Grade 3 Graham Beck over 1400m after getting cramped for room on the fence. Jockey Tristan Godden felt he would have finished third with a clear passage.

“He’s a talented member of what looks like an above-average crop of three-year-olds,” Mat assessed. “But the sprinting programme is not ideal so we’re not sure where to go with him.

“He has a lot of ability and moved up very comfortably, but he is still learning how to put a race to bed,” Mat added.

There was enough in the manner of his victory to suggest that Gimme A Fireball could be worth trying over a mile. However, this is something the team will need to ponder, as he is deadly effective over 1200m and keeping him to sprinting may well remain the best option.

Gimme A Fireball is by Vercingetorix out of Dream De Ra (Oasis Dream). Her previous foals are all sprinters. Gimme A Fireball’s full-brother Xenophon has proven to be best up to 1200m, while his half-brother Dreamworld (One World) won the 2025 Grade 3 Winter Nursery over 1100m and failed in his only start beyond 1200m. Another half-brother is Dreamland (Lancaster Bomber), who won six times up to 1200m and didn’t stay an inch beyond that.

Hollywood’s Devin Heffer will be aware of what Gimme A Fireball’s pedigree shows, and prefers to look at what is beyond doubt. He said: “That was a lovely win. He really needed to prove there is something special there, and has a bright future ahead.”

The Lucky Fish ambassadors recorded a double on the day when Rising Eagle (Mickaëlle Michel) skated home by 3.5-lengths, and on this eye-catching performance is one about which there will be no guessing – he is going straight into the Dingaans.

Mickaëlle commented: “I loved the way Rising Eagle cantered down, and he won like a champion.”

Mat said: “He was haemo-concentrating and it affected his work. He had to be gelded but the result is what you saw today, it had made a big difference. Thanks to owners Preshalin and Jayson Murugasa for allowing us to geld him, it’s hard to geld a horse as promising as this but it had to be done.

“Rising Eagle has always shown us good work, we had him in a Grade 2 race for two-year-olds last season but he drew badly so we took him out and had to be patient, once again we were left to do what we thought was right. I am excited for Jay and Preshalin.”

Rising Eagle, another offspring of the all-conquering Vercingetorix, was bred by Al Adiyaat from the mare Intriguing Lady, by New Approach.