Wilgerbosdrift’s promising sire Fire Away struck twice at Turffontein on Thursday. The son of War Front had just three runners on Thursday, but his sons Confederate and Two Miles West both won their respective races.
Progressive three-year-old Confederate made it three wins from seven starts when he won the Gauteng Guineas Day 1 February MR 98 Divided Handicap over 1600 metres.
Trained by Fabian Habib, the gelding, under Gavin Lerena, raced just off the pace early on. When asked the question, Confederate hit the front 300m from home and he stayed on strongly to win, a shade cosily, by three parts of a length.
Bred by Moutonshoek, Confederate, who is out of the Danehill Dancer mare Acquavella, has yet to finish out of the first two in seven starts.
The handsome bay was a R280 000 buy from the 2023 August Two Year Old Sale.
Fire Away’s second success came when his son Two Miles West won the eighth and final race at Turffontein on Thursday.
The gelded four-year-old, backed down from 7-1 into 17-10, jumped away quickly and went off to make the running in the Next Turffontein Racemeeting Sunday 26 January MR 85 Divided Handicap (1600m).
Despite running out in the closing stages, the Paul Matchett trained Two Miles West stayed on gamely to win by just over half a length.
Bred by Ascot Stud, Two Miles West has now won three times, with the gelding having finished third in the 2024 Listed Secretariat Stakes.
The gelding is out of the Western Winter mare West Wacker.
His inform sire Fire Away is also the sire of high-class three-year-old Fire Attack, who, like Confederate, holds an entry for the G2 TAB Gauteng Guineas.