After another spectacular Sandown Park performance by her illustrious litter brother Aston Rupee on Thursday night, record-breaker Aston Flame is set to enhance her own imposing resume in Saturday night’s Cardross Memorial final (410m) at Horsham.
The Cardross Memorial (Race 6 at 7.14pm) is run annually in memory of six teenagers that tragically lost their lives when struck by a car in 2006, with Horsham regular Kerry Prowse the mother of two of the children that passed away.
Trained by Ian Garland at Longlea, Aston Flame, Shepparton’s 385m record holder and winner of the Group 3 Northern Districts Cup in October, returned from injury in Tuesday afternoon’s heats of the $5000 to-the-winner event.
The impeccably bred daughter of KC And All and Melbourne Cup finalist Aston Miley started $1.70 favourite and took up where she left off, showcasing her blistering speed in a 23.34sec success, boosting her record to 16 wins from 26 starts, including nine of her last 10.
“She tore a monkey muscle at The Meadows on Phoenix night,” Ian Garland explained.
“She missed a trial because of the heat and then because of lightning, so she was a bit behind the eight-ball and I could see her knocking up about 50m from home.
“If she gets a clean getaway in the final, she’ll definitely improve her time.
“It was very windy on Tuesday too. Over the 410m they were running with it for about 20m, then it was going across them and for the last 200m the wind was right in their face.
WATCH: Aston Flame (8) made an ultra-impressive return from injury at Horsham on Tuesday afternoon in the Cardross Memorial heats.
“She jumped with them in her heat and once she hits the ground she’s really explosive. It’s all about the first five metres.
“She can match motors with the best of them over 450m and there’s a few country cups coming up. Shepparton isn’t that far away (heats March 14).”
While her record certainly wouldn’t suggest it, away from the racetrack Aston Flame is extremely timid and “terrified” of other people, which has resulted in a special bond with her trainer.
“I’ve got a real soft spot for her,” said Garland.
“Most of our dogs like my wife Jane better than me but not her. If you saw the way she looks at me – it sounds funny, but she just adores me. Jane is always telling her I’m not that good!
“I had to run around and catch her as well on Tuesday, so I got a real workout!”
While Aston Flame is the testing material in the Cardross Memorial, her owner/breeder Ray Borda also has a very strong hand in the other feature final at Saturday’s Horsham meeting, the Presidents Cup final (485m), which is Race 8 at 7.54pm.
Borda has three live chances in Anthony Azzopardi’s fastest heat winner Aston Titan (Box 6) and Paul Abela’s duo Aston Ulysses (Box 4) and Aston Ziebell (Box 5).
Aston Flame’s litter brother Aston Rupee clocked a breathtaking 28.94s at Sandown on Thursday.
