COURAGE SIRES ANOTHER GROUP TWO 2YO WINNER

Courage Under Fire, who has chilled semen available from Bromac Lodge next season, starred again as a sire on Australian racetracks last weekend.

He sired another feature 2YO winner when Sahara Sirocco took out the Group Two $50,000 Australian Pacing Gold Championship for colts and geldings at Melton, Victoria, on Saturday.

Sahara Sirocco, a colt from a Village Jasper mare in Sahara Miss, was notching his second win from just six starts.

In the process, he earned a fast 1:53.8 mile mark for the mobile 1720m, finishing best for driver Chris Alford, to beat favourite Mirragon by eight metres.

Sahara Sirocco, trained at Drouin by Gary and Debbie Quinlan, is now likely to be kept going for the Australian Breeders Crown in August.

"Courage" had another Victorian 2YO winner on Sunday at Cranbourne when Diegos Diamond, a colt from a Vintner mare, led and won in a 2:02.7 rate (2080m).

Diegos Diamond, who was having his third start and had placed in his previous two starts, is trained by former Miracle Mile winning reinsman, Jodi Quinlan, for breeder-owner, Cheryl Quinlan.

Meanwhile, former Canterbury pacer, Courage Under Fire gelding (Im) The Director became a 1:51 miler with an upset win at Menangle last Saturday night.

Im The Director, from an Elsu mare, won two (both at Addington) of 22 NZ starts for Ohoka co-owner and former trainer Peter Bagrie.

The horse is still raced by his NZ connections from the Menangle stable of Shane and Lauren Tritton.

He pushed through $61,000 in earnings with the win, his sixth from 38 starts, and his fourth since being sent to Sydney last July.

Eased from the eight gate to cross and end up three back on the markers, the five-year-old finished best for driver Michael Ferguson, winning by a neck from another former North Canterbury pacer in Pembrooks Passion.

He steps up to Group Three level from the seven gate in this Saturday's $30,000 Attcall Civil Contractors Pace at Menangle, again over the 1609m.

Tom Me Gun, a six-year-old Courage Under Fire gelding from Follow Me Home (by Holmes Hanover), furthered his good Queensland record at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Formerly developed in Canterbury by Mike De Filippi, Tom Me Gun has continued to develop since teaming up with owner-trainer Narissa McMullen in the Sunshine State.

He led for Chris Geary in the $21,270 Pryde's Easifeed Band 5 Drivers Invitation Pace, holding by 2.3 metres in a 1:56.6 rate (2138m).

Tom Me Gun, after winning once in 10 NZ starts, has taken a 1:52.2 mark in Queensland and moved to 13 wins from 50 starts, for $96,587.

Courage Under Fire had other Australian winners at Hobart, Tasmania, last Friday in Animi Sub Ignis, and Hot Embers, at Parks, New South Wales, on Sunday.

Animi Sub Ignis, an eight-year-old gelding from a Fully Loaded mare, who won in a 2:02.7 rate (2090m) for his ninth career win.

Hot Embers, a four-year-old gelding from an Elsu mare, won as a $1.50 favourite in a 2:03.7 rate for the 2040m in the HRNSW Rewards Series Heat Two Pace.

The "Courage" winning weekend started early last Thursday, with a siring treble, including another win from the promising three-year-old colt Struve, trained by Emma Stewart.

Struve, from a Jereme's Jet mare in Jets Girl, was beaten into third place on debut, but has now won his four subsequent starts.

He rated 1:59 for the 2180m on Thursday, but has won in faster 1:56.4 (2150m) at Bendigo.

Other "Courage" winners last Thursday were Back Page News, an 8YO gelding from a Chandon mare, won at Redcliffe, Queensland, in a 1:58.3 rate (1780m), and Shargari, a 4YO mare from a daughter of Soky's Atom, won in a 2:00.2 rate (1785m), at Stawell, Victoria.

Back Page News, a former Albion Park winner in a 1:54.2 rate (1660m) early in his career, was racking up his 13th career win from 152 starts, taking his earnings to $79,929.