Vinery sire Star Turn is going gangbusters with first-crop winners like Wednesday’s brilliant Warwick Farm debutant Derry Grove.

The Matt Dunn-trained gelding was all at sea at the start before quickly settling into stride albeit in the second-half of the XXXX Hcp (1000m).  Sporting a prominent white blaze, he stood out when hooked out by Nash Rawiller and put the race to bed with a powerful finish to score by a short-neck from Boomsong (Your Song).

Dunn admitted the plan was to lead first-up with Derry Grove.  “I thought the race was as good as over when he jumped a bit crooked.  He had been on speed in his trials so it was good to see him adapt so well today.

“He wasn’t expensive and the owners are a good bunch,” Dunn added.  “He had a few slight problems but they’ve been patient.  That was a good win.  He finished right over the top of them like a horse with a big future.”

Derry Grove (3g Star Turn – True Malt by Elusive Quality) was bred by Jeff & Janine Allis and sold for $30,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions to agent Neil Jenkinson, Matthew Dunn and Viva Racing Syndicate.

An hour later, Avolonte improved Star Turn’s recent strike-rate to 8 individual winners in the last 24 days when she led all the way in a Fillies & Mares Sprint at the Sunshine Coast.

Avolonte (3f Star Turn – Testa Sarah by Testa Rossa) was a $60,000 buy from Vinery Stud‘s draft at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. She was purchased by Bloodstock Solutions and is trained by Stuart Kendrick and raced by a large group of owners including Wessel Thoroughbreds.

Star Turn has now sired 35 individual first-crop winners and his Queensland fillies Me Me Lagarde, Stellar Magic and Miss Hipstar will be gunning for more black-type in the Mode Hcp (LR, 1200m) at Doomben this Saturday.

Earlier in the day at Rosehill, Sonnet Star will be suited in the Hurlstone Park RSL Sprint (1200m) when dropping back from a fast-finishing fourth in Group 3 company over 1100m at Flemington.  And his Kiwi 3yo La Bella Beals will back-up for a Group 3 assignment in the Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) for in-form trainer Stephen Marsh at Matamata.

Star Turn has a dozen lots catalogued for the 2022 Gold Coast Magic Millions in January including two colts from Vinery parading on Day 4.  Lot 680 is from Warm Charge (Commands), an unraced daughter of Zabeel Stakes winner Warm Smytzer (Geelong Oaks LR, 2200m).

Lot 754 from Arctic Success (Big Brown) is a half-brother to Roots (Press Statement), the promising Chris Waller-trained filly who earned her first black-type when runner-up in the Reginald Allen Hcp (LR, 1400m) at Randwick in October.