Star Turn mare Shezanalister is ready for a rise in grade following back-to-back wins since a spell for trainer Bjorn Baker.
Shezanalister strode forward from a wide draw first-up and was never headed at Canterbury on New Year’s Day. Tommy Berry decided to take a sit at her home track on Australia Day and the race was over as soon as she collared Malaboom (Spirit of Boom) at the top of the straight.
“Shezanalister lived up to her name with Saturday races beckoning,” Bjorn said at Warwick Farm on Friday. “It was a perfect ride by Tommy and ‘Baker in the Last’ rings true again. She’s a promising mare and was a cheeky pick-up from the 2021 Inglis HTBA Sale.”
Baker and agent Jim Clarke bought her for $55,000 when offered by Vinery Stud on behalf of Alan Bell at Riverside Stables. She’s the first foal of Filomena’s Grace (Love Conquers All) who was a Canterbury winner for owner-breeder Nick Moraitis. The dam’s older half-sister Bejewelled (Anabaa) also carried the famed Might And Power colours to four wins at Randwick and a June Stakes (LR, 1100m) placing behind Love Conquers All and Hay List.
Filomena’s Grace followed up with two colts by Star Turn. The elder brother sold for $150,000 to Hong Kong interests at the 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. He was second on the ‘Showcase Session’ leaderboard and was described as a colt with a fantastic temperament at Oaklands Junction. Still unnamed, he will keep improving as a 2yo being a November foal.
This month’s Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale saw Baker bank on a more expensive Vinery graduate when paying $325,000 for an Ole Kirk filly from Vellor. She was offered by Gilgai Farm and is from a half-sister to ATC Magic Night Stakes (Gr,2, 1200m) winner Altar (Commands).
“She’s a smashing filly and looks a racy type who should get up and run early,” Baker predicted. “There’s plenty to work with and she has the size and scope to be back here next year.”
Star Turn and Ole Kirk are coming off excellent starts to the sale-season at the Gold Coast and Derry Grove completed a big week for Star Turn winning the $1million Magic Millions The Syndicate (1100m).
The Inglis Classic Yearling Sale is less than a fortnight away with 16 Star Turn colts and fillies heading to Riverside Stables. The Ole Kirks were targeted by all the leading trainers and syndicators with 25 first-crop sales at an average of $206,300.
Trainers were taken by their physical characteristics and that’s a bonus for the Classic Sale which has always carried a strong reputation for buyers embracing yearlings on type. Ole Kirk has 23 entrants for the Classic Sale and six of them have been catalogued by Vinery including the colt from History (Lot 334).
History (Sidestep) is a half-sister Vellor (Sepoy) who foaled the Ole Kirk filly that Baker bought for $325,000 on the Gold Coast.
