Brilliant 3yo filly Geminga set Mt Gambier alight on Friday when she set a new track-record winning her maiden on a Good 4 surface for trainer Maddie Raymond.
Never closer than three-wide for the entire trip, the chestnut daughter of Vinery sire Star Turn stopped the clock at a sizzling 51.51s for the 900m scamper under Harry Grace. It was an enormous improvement on her debut when runner-up on a Heavy 8 at Penshurst last month.
“It was all over very quickly and I’m rapt,” Raymond said. “It was a professional performance by Geminga. She’s a fast filly and used that speed to her advantage. Harry kept her settled and balanced and she really hit the line well.
“She will benefit enormously from an educational viewpoint and it was great to get the result for her owner John Nicholls. He’s a huge supporter and also races Turaath among others with our stable.”
Warrnambool-based Raymond went out on her own two years ago and British-bred mare Turaath (Oasis Dream) has been the backbone winning the G2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last year and the $175,000 Black Pearl Stakes (1200m) at Geelong last month.
Geminga (3f Star Turn – Seven Sonnets by Poet’s Voice) was bred by Sun Stud and is a younger full-sister to Wellington Boot winner Sonnet Star. Their dam is half-sister to Happy Galaxy (ATC Expressway Stakes Gr.2) and there’s more speed further down the page through Silent Sedition (MVRC Wm Reid Stakes Gr.1) and Porto Roca (STC Coolmore Classic Gr.1).
Star Turn doubled up at Morphettville on Saturday with Saskatoon for trainers Richard & Chantelle Jolly ahead of what could be a massive turning point for his stud career in Hong Kong this Sunday.
Cordyceps Six (Star Turn) will take on his Vinery-sired stablemate Wellington (All Too Hard) and a field of international stars in the AUD 4.53million Longines Hong Kong Sprint (Gr.1, 1200m) at Sha Tin. Wellington, Hong Kong’s reigning Champion Sprinter, is the $4 second-favourite while Cordyceps Six has opened at $17.
