Me Me Lagarde rounded out a running double for Vinery sire Star Turn with a welcome return-to-form victory in the Tattersall’s Classic (LR, 1200m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
She thundered down the outside to swamp the favourite Juan Diva (Snitzel) for local trainers Toby & Trent Edmonds. Forty minutes earlier, Miss Hipstar had also ended a run of outs for Kelly Schweida in The Conservatory (1100m).
Both mares are Stakes-winning, first-crop daughters of Star Turn and they’re both coming good at just the right time for the Sunshine State’s summer carnival.
Me Me Lagarde will reappear in the Just Now Stakes (LR, 1300m) at Eagle Farm on December 10 ahead of the $1 million Magic Millions Fillies & Mares (1300m) at the Gold Coast on January 14. “We were very confident the mighty mare would run a big race,” Toby Edmonds said. “Her work suggested she was back to her best but it’s been a nightmare trying to prepare them with the ongoing construction work here.”
Me Me Lagarde won the Gold Edition Stakes (LR, 1200m) last season and then ran a blinder when runner-up in the $2million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (RL, 1400m). “She had been disappointing since then,” Edmonds admitted. “It was a firm track that day and she had a very hard run.
“Then we struck a Heavy 9 at the Sydney autumn carnival so we spelled her and waited for a decent surface at Eagle Farm last month. She ran well without much luck and we knew she was coming good.”
Me Me Lagarde (4m Star Turn – Roedean by Flying Spur) is a homebred for Gerry Harvey after failing to reach a $75,000 reserve set by Baramul Stud at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions. Her current earnings have reached $634,000 from four wins in nine starts.
Miss Hipstar helped kick-start Star Turn’s stud career and she was given the run of the race by Larry Cassidy before forging clear for the first-leg of his double on Saturday. She was his first-ever winner at Doomben in November 2020 and his first black-type winner in the Dalrello Stakes (LR, 1000m) at Eagle Farm in May 2021.
“Great to see her back in the winning stall with Larry,” Schweida said. “She has a big ticker with a beautiful nature. She led them up in a Magic Millions Classic so has obviously got a lot of natural speed. But to look at her physique, we always thought she would stretch out further.”
Miss Hipstar (4m Star Turn – Single Style by Not A Single Doubt) was bred by Vinery partner Steve McCann (Encompass Bloodstock) and sold through the Vinery draft for $150,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions. She has now posted prizemoney of $372,000 from five wins 19 starts.
Star Turn has 9 yearlings catalogued for the Gold Coast Magic Millions and the first of them is the filly on account of Vinery (as agent) from Joyful Journey (Lot 15). She will parade in the opening hour of trade on Tuesday, January 10. The dam’s first foal Grand Pope (More Than Ready) won at Flemington earlier this year for Nick Ryan. Her latest is a Star Turn colt foaled in September.
Star Turn’s other yearling from Vinery (as agent) is the colt from Lonhro mare Beechal (Lot 645). The dam is a winning half-sister to Table Bay (Kenilworth Cape Classic Gr.3).
