CAMERON Hart had never driven Firestorm Red before Friday night, but the talented reinsman quickly discovered he had the speed to burn his rivals.
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A four-year-old horse from Steve Turnbull's Radiant Lodge team, Firestorm Red blazed home in a 27 seconds final split to take out the Group 3 Christmas Gift Final (1,609 metres) at Menangle Park.
That sprint came after Firestorm Red was able to muster a good start from barrier one to stop his rivals from crossing.
While Hart had won at Group 3 level on five previous occasions - including the Wagga Pacers Cup with Peter Trevor-Jones' iron horse Beetson - he'd not steered Firestorm Red in any of the horse's 62 previous starts.
But the Somebeachsomewhere x Spirited Storm horse had been in handy form and had placed top three in three of his last four runs at Menangle, so started the feature as an $8.50 prospect.
The more fancied Air Time and Arma Hot Shot flew out of the barriers in search of the lead, but Hart urged Firestorm Red to kick up and on the inside and he did.
He retained the lead some 2m ahead of Air Time while Arma Hot Shot couldn't slot in and dropped back to the rear.
A wall of chasers lined up behind Firestorm Red down the home straight, but he kicked away over the final 200m.
He clocked a career best 1:52.0 mile rate as he won by 4.4m over Stormy Raider ($6.50).