Fireworks at Kranji on National Day morning

You must have seen the fireworks which lit up the skies over the Marina Bay on Wednesday night. It was an awesome show.

What you might not have realised was that, long before that show in the south got underway, there were some bright sparks lighting up the morning sky over Kranji in the north of the island.

And, in the midst of all that, there was this aptly named galloper, Fireworks.

He was in his element and he must have enjoyed that early morning stretch-out which culminated with a 38.8sec spin over the 600m on the Polytrack.

Surely, it would have earned him a two thumbs up and plenty of high fives from his trainer, Tim Fitzsimmons, and the stable staff.

After all, the mood would have been sober when Fireworks returned to scale after his last start on July 30.

That day, the Buffalo Stable-owned chestnut gelding was a “good thing beaten”.

He was shooting for a race-to-race double and ninth overall. Racegoers sent him off as the raging $10 favourite.

All looked good when he issued his challenge 100m out.

But, ridden by Bruno Queiroz, he was caught on the line by another sweeper, Clergyman, who went on to take the honours by a nose in that Class 5 affair over 1,400m.

Well, come Sunday, when the pyrotechnic show at Marina Bay would have been consigned to memory, Fireworks could and should rekindle the excitement of National Day by taking the ninth race on the 12-event card.

That race will be over the same track and trip as that heartbreak on July 30.

And, although Fireworks is getting rather long in the tooth – he turned eight on Aug 1 – we saw on Wednesday morning that he can still raise a mighty gallop.

Also adding a glow to our National Day were two gallopers from trainer Shane Baertschiger’s yard.

Outfit and Fight On – engaged in different races on Sunday – caught the eye in separate gallops.

Stable jockey Matthew Kellady rode both horses and, on dismounting, we reckon he would have had glowing reports for Baertschiger.

Outfit ran out the 600m in a flashy 37.7 while Fight On, who was keen to go but was hard held by Kellady, clocked 44.7.

Fight On is shaping up to be a pretty neat horse to have in the yard.

Owned by the MA Racing Stable, he has faced the starter on 11 occasions for two wins, two seconds and three thirds.

It is an impressive scorecard and, it could be said, the four-year-old is just getting started.

Last time, on July 23, Vlad Duric got him to unleash a mighty run over the final furlong to hold off another late charger in the form of Lucky Hero.

It was a notable effort as Fight On had to race wide for most of the trip.

Some months earlier, on May 14, Fight On put his first victory on the board when beating Tantheman with another late charge to the post.

He gets into Sunday’s Class 3 foray over 1,200m with a light weight of 51kg.

It will give him a healthy advantage over his rivals.

As for Outfit, who races in the colours of the Happy Baby Stable, he is also a last-start winner who could give the Baertschiger yard another reason to celebrate.

Last time, on July 15, he beat Sirius by a head – but it was easier than the margin suggested.

That day, when holding third spot for most of the 1,100m trip, he was cramped for room over the concluding stages.

But he still managed to find that bit of space which he gladly took.

Brazilian hoop Bernardo Pinheiro was the man in the saddle.

Outfit has raced 15 times and that win on July 15 was his second success, coming 10 months after he opened the scoring in a Restricted Maiden event on Sept 24, 2022.

Like his stablemate Fight On, Outfit has been sparingly raced and there are still more wins left in that sleek frame of his.

We have seen him win over Sunday’s trip of 1,200m on the Polytrack, so the conditions coming up will suit his running style.

Yes, Baertschiger’s last-start winners must be accorded plenty of respect in their respective races.

“Stretch” has kept their motors humming and their fine form should see them home.