We returned from holiday 1am last night and was still quite bleary-eyed this morning, but still managed to remember to put some money on Frozen Fire this morning, when I got a price of 21/1 on him. I don't bet much; after all, it's a mug's game, but a couple of pounds on Frozen Fire were sure to be a good investment in my opinion. I was actually quite surprised to see him at such long odds. I know he ran only 11th at Epsom, but it was well publicised that he had not handled the track or the way the race was run. I felt quite confident that the Curragh would suit him better and that he would show himself to be a very good horse today.
The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) went off and Frozen Fire settled comfortably at the back of the pack. Seamus Heffernan really took it easy with him and was happy to chase the rest from the tail end. I was slightly worried, though I knew that Frozen Fire had a decent turn of foot. I properly sat up and started cheering him on when I noticed that all the other jockeys started pumping on their mounts and yet Seamie was still sitting still on Frozen Fire. He had to feel that he had plenty of horse left, I thought. Then I saw him started to make his move and the horse made ground quickly. Alessandro Volta drifted in and then out, hampering Tartan Bearer and Curtain Call in the process. It also meant that Frozen Fire had to go wide, to the middle of the track. By that time he had gained momento and no one was going to stop him.
Casual Conquest finished 2nd with Alessandro Volta back in third, but he was demoted to fourth due to the interference and Tartan Bearer was promoted to third instead. Controversially, places between Alessandro Volta and Curtain Call were not reversed.
There is plenty of debate to say that Tartan Bearer or Curtain Call would have won if not for Alessandro Volta's interference, but I disagree. This was Frozen Fire's day and he would have won no matter what.
Of course I would say that, as he is a TOF horse :o)
He won the 1m4f race in 2:31.90 under Seamus Heffernan. He is owned by Michael Tabor and trained by Aidan O'Brien in Ireland.
At The Races article
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