Major on Fire ahead of Terang tilt

The Alex Ashwood-trained six-year-old made it a perfect two wins from two starts in 2024 with an ultra-tough victory on Cranbourne Cup night last Saturday.

Another resilient performance made it eight wins from 14 starts for the daughter of Art Major and the mare Sparks Under Fire since joining the Ashwood stable early last year.

She won her first six starts for Ashwood and was placed three times at either Melton or Menangle in her next six runs.

Having her first start in more than two months, Major Fire returned to action with a stunning win at Maryborough in late January before following up at Cranbourne last weekend with Tayla French in the sulky.

The in-form 26-year-old reinswoman praised a strong performance after the mare was forced to do plenty of work when caught three-wide early before finding the front and having just enough in reserve at the end to stave off the late-surging Heavenly Charm and Promiseland

"She's a pretty nice mare, obviously. We gave her a little let-up not long ago, but it's done her the world of good," she said.

"She does go a lot better out in front, she doesn't like to let a horse past her when she is in front.

"She did surprise me the other night, to be able to hold on after doing so much work early.

"I was a little bit concerned, but she just proved too good and never let me down.

"It was super windy there at Cranbourne and the 26 first quarter was definitely a lot quicker than most would have liked to have gone."

"She should go a long way."

Already one of the stars of the stable, French said Ashwood and her had genuinely high hopes for Major Fire, who won twice and was placed four times in her 19 New Zealand starts.

"We are just going to have to look after her in the coming months and hopefully she can pick off a nice race," French said.

"She'll go to Terang this Saturday night - we've got a team of five in there."

The stable's other representatives will be recent Shepparton winner Cotchinellie, Cherokee Jac, Loimermajor and Cemetery Bay.

A tiny field of six has accepted for Major Fire's race, further enhancing the mare's chances of a three-peat of wins.

Saturday night's win contributed to a nice start to French's Team Teal campaign, which sees female drivers in Australia and New Zealand wearing teal-coloured driving pants to raise awareness of ovarian cancer.

For each winner driven by a female from February 1 until March 15, Harness Racing Victoria and its wagering partner Tabcorp donates $200 each to the Team Teal tally.

Major Fire was French's fourth winner this Team Teal period, which was boosted by a double at Bendigo last Thursday night.

She quickly added a fifth aboard the Ashwood-trained Bus Stop at Swan Hill on Sunday night.

French, as always, is thrilled to play her part in the campaign.

"I don't what it is about it, but I generally seem to have a pretty good February for Team Teal," she said.

"For some reason it brings me luck. Hopefully the winners keep coming."

Major Fire's continued rise has added to an exciting time around the Toolleen stable with the Group 2-winning mare Tay Tay having only recently returned to action in the Ladyship Cup at Melton late last month and Group 1-winner Parisian Artiste close to a return.

Parisian Artiste, who won the Group 1 Vicbred Super Series for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings in 2021, raced only once last year, after being sidelined with nerve damage in his back.

He was again spelled following his sixth in the Swan Hill Trotters Cup in early November.

French is looking forward to a change in fortunes for some of the stable's big guns.

"Tay Tay is the unluckiest mare in the world and never gets a chance to show her true potential, but she is always floating thereabouts," French said.

"Parisian Artiste is back in work, so hopefully we see him soon, and we've just got Bella Dancer and Fernwood Miracle back in work.

"We've also picked up a few from Keith Cotchin's stable and managed to get a hold of Tooram Cee Cee's brother and he looks like he has a bit of a future."