Trainer Dan Morton struck for the third time in four years when Afireofgidgeecoals won the Karrakatta Plate (Gr.2, 1200m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Morton had won Perth’s premier juvenile event with Super Smink (Super One) in 2023 and Bustling (Frosted) in 2024 and he holds the stable’s latest winner in high regard after a one-length victory over Beatty (Gingerbread Man) and Aurum Belle (Snitzel).
It was the first-leg of a high-profile meeting in the west that reached a crescendo with Jigsaw a popular winner of the $5 million Quokka at Ascot.
Afireofgidgeecoals (2c Too Darn Hot – Caiguna by Dubai Destination) had won an Ascot maiden in March and was placed in the Perth Stakes (LR. 1100m) behind Beatty and He’s A Machino a fortnight ago.
“That was awesome and it was a top ride by Lucy (Fiore),” Morton said. “I was confident he’s was tracking in the right direction so it was disappointing to see him lose last time when he missed the kick. He’s a beautiful horse and I’ve had a big opinion of him since Day 1.”
Afireofgidgeecoals was bred by Great Southern-based Gray Williamson using Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) and is from a long-standing WA family that decamped to the Hunter Valley for a decade before returning home in 2022. Williamson sold him under the Mungrup banner for $180,000 at the 2025 Perth Magic Millions to Queensland-based Shane Stafford who also races LR Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) winner Cashel Palace (Street Boss).
Afireofgidgeecoals is the 10th individual winner out of Caiguna who was bred and raced by Ascot couple John and Karen McGrath to win a LR Natasha Stakes (2200m) in 2012. Second-dam Bremer Bay (Scenic) was a successful sprinter-miler with Fred Kersley and third-dam All Washed Up (Marooned) won the LR WA St Leger (2600m) in 1996.
The McGraths sold Caiguna to NSW in 2012 where she foaled winners by Sebring (4), I Am Invincible and Sepoy for Edinburgh Park owner Ian Smith. The best of the Sebrings was Serena Bay who won an ATC Golden Gift 2YO Plate and was placed in a G2 ATC Percy Sykes Stakes.
Caiguna returned home to WA in 2022 after Williamson bought her for $40,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast. She was carrying Ninetymilestraight (Flying Artie) who won a Belmont maiden during a spring prep for Trevor Andrews before earning black-type when placed in the LR Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) on Winterbottom Stakes Day in November.
The ‘Jigsaw Juggernaut’ was profiled in Saturday’s ANZ News and it came as no surprise when he led from barrier to box in the BYD Quokka (1200m) for Cranbourne owner-trainer Cindy Alderson. It was his seventh win in a row and they include Group 1 triumphs that involved crossing the Tasman to Ellerslie and the Nullabor to Ascot.
“I turned down an offer to Hong Kong for him so I just thought I would hedge my bets,” Alderson said. “I told Marcus (Price) he was a very nice horse and it’s turned out we’ve had the ride of a lifetime.
“How could it get any better than this? I picked a spot near the winning post and I just stayed in the zone until the 100m when I started cheering which is not normal for me.”
Jigsaw is a rising 8yo son of Manhattan Rain (Encosta de Lago) and he will close the gap on Playing God at the top of the WA Sires’ premiership with the $2 million first-place prizemoney allocated to Jigsaw.
Manhattan Rain did stand at Geisel Park, however, he’s looking for a new home for the 2026 serving season after owner Eddie Rigg announced last week the historic Myalup property will be sold.