Star Turn sired 10 individual winners in the first 14 days of April and he’s banking on some black-type in the second-half of the month with Golden Monkey and Khadime.
The Vinery sire’s superb strike-rate saw him reach an Australasian-high 65% winners-to-runners among stallions active on either side of the Tasman last year. in 2024 it has risen to over 74% and the significance of that stat was reflected at last week’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale when Vinery sold a Star Turn filly from Naantali (NZ) to Hirsch Racing for $360,000.
Sian Star was Star Turn’s 10th winner last Sunday with a strong home-town victory for trainer Darryl Hansen in the Caloundra RSL Hcp (1600m) on the Sunshine Coast. The Baramul Stud-bred miler worked hard outside the lead and fought off several challengers one by one in the straight.
Star Turn has a 100% strike-rate in Singapore with his five-time black-type winner Golden Monkey leading the charge against reigning champion Lim’s Kosciuszko (Kermadec) in the E W Barker Trophy (LR, 1400m) at Kranji this Sunday.
Trainer Tim Fitzsimmon has Golden Monkey peaking after leading home Singapore’s Horse Of The Year in a barrier trial last Thursday. He was bred and sold by Howard Blight through Byerley Stud (as agent) for $54,000 at the 2020 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and has earned the equivalent of AUD$880,000.
“Tim looks to have Golden Monkey flying,” Lim’s Kosciuszko’s trainer Dan Meagher said this week. “He’s a good mate and Golden Monkey is probably the danger with that weight (52.5kgs).”
Ballarat trainer Dom Sutton will elevate his Star Turn filly Khadime straight into Stakes company following her impressive first-up performance in the Sportsbet Hcp (1200m) at Sandown-Lakeside last Wednesday.
“She has been very professional from Day 1,” Sutton said after the front-running debut. “She’s a lovely filly to deal with and is very straight forward and she has got a good bit of ability to go with it. Today was all about heading to the races to see what she could do. Now she has ticked that box we can have a look at some nice races for her.”
Khadime (2f Star Turn – Countess Nan by Viscount) was a $200,000 buy for McKeever Bloodstock Ltd and Sutton Racing from Kilgravin Lodge at the 2023 NZB Ready To Run Sale. She’s the first foal of a half-sister to Sabie (Exceed and Excel) who was a Listed winner of the SAJC Pewsey Vale Stakes (1000m) in Adelaide.
Sutton will give Khadime the chance to emulate her close relation at Morphettville on Saturday week, April 27 in the SAJC Breeder’s Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m). “We want to see whether she can stretch out further in distance looking to the future,” Sutton said. “She will complete this prep in Adelaide and come back from a spell for a spring campaign in Melbourne.”
