Bred and owned by Bertram Firestone and trained by Dermot Weld he was one of the best two-year-olds in Ireland in 1985 when he won his last three races including the Beresford Stakes.
Flash of Steel was a "good-topped, strong-bodied"[3] bay horse with no white markings bred in Ireland by his American owner Bertram Firestone.
He was dropped back to six furlongs for a maiden at Naas Racecourse in September, started odds-on favourite, and won by three quarters of a length from Wolf Call after taking the lead in the closing stages.
The unbeaten British challenger Robbama started favourite ahead of the Vincent O'Brien-trained Obligato while the other five runners included Hungry Giant (runner-up to Woodman in the Futurity Stakes) and the Michael Stoute-trained Eve's Error.
Ridden by Mick Kinane Flash of Steel looked outpaced i the early stages as Dancing Zeta set the pace but began to make progress on the outside in the straight.
The 1986 edition of the Irish 2000 Guineas, run on heavy ground at the Curragh on 17 May drew an unusually small field of six, with three Irish-trained colts being matched against three British challengers.
The British appeared to have a clear advantage as the Dick Hern-trained Sharrood started favourite ahead of Huntingdale and Green Desert whilst Flash of Steel was the 9/2 fourth choice in the betting alongside Fioravanti.