In a remarkabe run race at Echuca it seemed an impossible task for any horse to come from behind with tear away leaders out in front by at least ten lengths. However that didn’t faze jockey Billy Egan on Fire Tribe as he knew what he had underneath him being on a fit horse who relishes a fast tempo run race. To the eye it looked too hard a task to make up the ground after settling towards the rear of the field in his customary pattern and standing the leaders between 11-12 lengths. Hugging the rail and saving ground he improved to be within 8 lengths of the leader on the home turn and kept coming strongly to grab the leader in the last bound for a heart stopping finish on the line.
With a plan hatched to set Fire Tribe for the Country Trainers Series culminating in the final on Good Friday at Ballarat, he needed to finish in the top two positions to be exempt from the ballot in the $80K final in a months time. This now qualifies him for the final and the win records his second victory since joining the Hope team. The ultra consistent five-year-old also has five placings to his credit and only finished out of the top four only on two occassions.
Purchased from the Inglis online digital sale last year for $30K, the Contributer gelding is raced by a large group of Owners and he has given them plenty of thrills in the short time of their ownership. The team will now focus on the final and aim to keep him in top condition to run another big race.
