Star Turn finished Top 5 for sire profitability at the Gold Coast Magic Millions and that segued to a winning double in Hong Kong on Wednesday night.
The Vinery sire’s ground-breaking results at the first yearling sale of the season saw his 2020 service ($16,500) balloon to a Book 1 average of $242,000. That’s a massive multiplication of 14.7%.
Emirates Park paid top price for a Star Turn on Day 1 when his filly out of Joyful Journey (Lot 15) made $440,000. His colt from Beechal (Lot 645) was also popular on Day 3 before being gavelled down to Hong Kong-based David Lui (Sweetbriar Equine) and the Goldfinder Equine Fund.
Hong Kong interest wasn’t unexpected with Star Turn’s strike-rate flying at 80% up there. His first-crop expats Sugar Sugar and Star Contact kept it airborne with a running double at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening.
Sugar Sugar (4g Star Turn – In The Moment by Keeper) will graduate to Class Three company after jumping cleanly and travelling nicely in the Club Hcp (1200m). The Caspar Fownes-trained sprinter has won twice in his last three starts with Alfred Chan aboard and they’re unlucky not to be unbeaten this season.
“We missed the kick last start and I told Mr Fownes to school him in the gates,” Chan said. “He had two jump outs and one trial and we were very happy. As long as everyone leaves him alone, he flies out the gates no problem.”
Valiant Stud’s Fergal Connolly consigned Sugar Sugar to the 2020 Inglis Ready2Race Sale and he topped the Star Turns at $250,000. Bred by Henderson Racing and Cook Bloodstock, he’s from a NZ-bred half-sister to Autumn Jeuney (MVRC Tesio Stakes Gr.3).
Fownes was pleased to see the progressive 4yo continuing to deliver on his potential. “We’ve been working hard keeping him focused and Alfie gave him a nice ride. He’s going to go up in class which is always a bit of a test, but I don’t see any reason why he can’t continue to be competitive.”
Star Contact (4g Star Turn – Vittoria by Postponed) won the HKJC Challenge Cup (1650m) for trainer David Hayes and Zac Purton. He had to be steadied after being crowded at the start but the champion jockey-elect gave him a perfect trail behind Flying Silver (Hugh Bowman) to score running away.
Sold by Vinery (as agent for Steve McCann) for $80,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions, he’s from a NZ-bred Moonee Valley winner who was Group 1 placed in the 2012 Queensland Oaks.
Star Turn’s Group 3 Sha Tin Vase winner Cordyceps Six is under consideration for a start in the HKJC Classic Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin next Sunday week, January 29. He’s among 22 entries for the first leg of the prestigious Classic Series and is by far the highest rated on 111. Cordyceps Six has never run over more than 1200m and trainer Richard Gibson will make a final decision after discussions with owner Catherina Yim Wai Ling this weekend.
Gibson also prepares All Too Hard’s Champion Sprinter Wellington and he’s ready to debut another Star Turn named Star Club who is owned by the same connections as his stable star.
Star Club (3g Star Turn – Madame Bookworm by Publishing) has been in constant work since his arrival in November. He’s a younger half-brother to Keep Reading (Headwater) who is a three-time Morphettville winner for Hong Kong-based agent David Price.
