Festival Of Fire (SAF) produced a powerful late burst to land the Gr 2 Korea Racing Association Fillies Guineas over 1600m at Greyville on Saturday. Jet Aglow (SAF) edged out Jet Supreme (SAF) for the runner-up berth while King's Temptress ran on to complete the quartet.

The early pace was pedestrian, with The Which Doctor showing the way from Jet Supreme, Jet Aglow and Izora. Festival Of Fire was next best, racing about five lengths off the leader and being followed in turn by Earth's Orbit, Lady Tatty and King's Temptress.

The race turned into a sprint down the straight with The Which Doctor holding on to the lead for another furlong so but finally being passed by Jet Aglow and Jet Supreme. Izora was in contention wider out while Festival Of Fire went for her run down the inside.

Jet Aglow looked to be going best of all entering the last 200m but Festival Of Fire was about to unleash a telling finishing kick and once she did so it was race over, as she sped away to win by just over two lengths.

The winner justified her status as the top-rated runner in the field going into the race and was fully entitled to her place at the top of the betting boards as well, having finished second behind the year-older Thunder Dance in the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes last time out. It remains to be seen whether she stays further than a mile but right now looks a likely contender for a race such as the Gr 1 Garden Province Stakes at the beginning of July. Victory here marked the first leg of a big-race double for trainer Mike de Kock (pictured) as he went on to capture the KRA Guineas with Vercingetorix.

Jet Aglow was not disgraced as she was returning from a three-month layoff and did not face an easy task under the circumstances. She is one of the better fillies of the current 3-year-old crop and is now due a feature race victory of her own, having been placed in three consecutive Gr 1 events prior to this effort.

Jet Supreme had shown notable improvement when winning the Umzimkhulu Stakes and proved that was no fluke with another honest effort here, while King's Temptress would not have been suited by the slow early pace and bounced back reasonably well after a disappointing last effort in the SA Fillies Classic.

Fifth-placed Izora was only beaten marginally more than three lengths and should not be written off by any means. Bred to get further, she is another one who would not have been suited by the pace here and, with races such as the Woolavington 2000 and the Oaks still to come, she may yet make her mark this winter.

3 b f Kahal (GB) - Fuel The Fire by Russian Revival (USA)
Lady C O'Reilly & Mr C J Saunders
Bred by Mr C J Saunders & Lady C O'Reilly
Winning trainer: Mike de Kock