Star Turn started the countdown to the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale with an international double earlier this week courtesy of Psycho Star at Benalla and Star Contact in Hong Kong.
The Vinery sire has two yearlings entered for Oaklands Junction – Lot 55 represents home-base and is from Purpurrlena (Catbird) while Lot 746 on account of Miranda Park is out of Filomena’s Grace (Loves Conquers All).
Star Turn has sired three individual Stakes winners this season to share the lead on the third-season table and his winning strike-rate of 54% is on another level compared to Maurice (44%), Capitalist (42%), Astern (42%) and Shalaa (42%).
His newest maiden winner arrived at Benalla on Monday when Psycho Star resumed following an extended spell in the Bertoli Machinery Maiden (1106m). The Hirsch Racing mare is trained by John Salanitri and had been sidelined for six months following throat surgery.
“She’s always shown us ability and had been performing well in her jump-outs,” Salanitri said after Psycho Star was too strong for even-money favourite Signal. “She built into race and it was a very good ride by Alana (Kelly). She’s only lightly-raced and can stretch out to win more races now.”
Salanitri and his brother Frank have been training for leading owner-breeder Joe Hirsch for over 20 years and they relocated from Caulfield to Tylden a couple of years ago. Situated 80km north-west of Melbourne, it’s the property formerly known as Woodside Park that was purchased by Hirsch in 2021.
Hirsch bred Psycho Star by using Star Turn over Sycophant (Commands) and she’s the dam’s fourth winner going back to Obsequious (ATC Light Fingers Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m). He’s also breeding from Obsequious (Lonhro) who foaled Godolphin’s multiple Melbourne Stakes-winner Ingratiating (Frosted).
“I got her into a nice rhythm and rode her on a long rein,” Kelly said after returning to scale on Psycho Star. “It worked out well. I manipulated her off the fence on the corner and she finished off late for a good win.”
Star Turn’s Hong Kong expat Star Contact won for the third time this season in the Pak Tin Hcp (1650m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening. Trained by David Hayes for owner Adrian Hassan, he tracked stablemate Red Majesty (NZ) before going clear by a half-length under Karis Teetan.
Star Contact was bred and sold by Vinery partner Steve McCann for $80,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions. His NZ-bred dam Vittoria (Postponed) won twice at Moonee Valley and was Group 1 placed in the 2012 Queensland Oaks.
Vinery has a great record with its Melbourne Premier graduates, known well by Trainer Mike Moroney’s Ballymore Stable as they have Elkington Road (All Too Hard) lining up in the Group 1 VRC Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington this Saturday. He was last seen going down a half-length at Group 3 level at Sandown and another forward showing this weekend will earn a trip to Sydney for The Championships.
Other recent Vinery-sired Premier Sale graduates include Mornington Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Daily Bugle (Press Statement) and Typhoon Titmus (Headwater) who was a Group 2 runner-up in the Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington in October.
The 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale commences at 10am this Sunday and Vinery’s 14-lot consignment starts with the first-crop colt by Vinery freshman Exceedance from Peace Force (Lot 18).
