Star Turn unveiled another filly with potential-plus when Star Mistress claimed the Coastline Pools Maiden (1200m) at Newcastle on Monday.
The Vinery sire’s latest Australian winner followed a New Zealand winner and Group 2 placegetter on Saturday and a promising Hong Kong Group 2 performer on Sunday.
Star Mistress started a short-priced favourite following two trial wins at Randwick for trainers Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, however, her debut was far from straightforward for jockey Winona Costin.
She was wayward on a Heavy 10 with stewards reporting she had to be corrected more than once to lay off her stablemate Venetian Blue (Merchant Navy). “That was a great start to her career although she was green as grass in the straight,” stable spokesman Neil Paine said. “She wobbled about, but to her credit, she didn’t give in.”
Star Mistress (3f Star Turn – Arctic Success by Big Brown) was a $90,000 Vinery graduate from the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. She’s a half-sister to Roots (Press Statement) who was a runner-up in the MVRC Tesio Stakes (Gr.3, 1600m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Vinery partner Greg Perry has since bred her 2yo full-brother by Star Turn and a yearling half-brother by Exceedance.
Across the Tasman, Star Turn mare La Bella Beals was given a beautiful ride to win the Waikato Draught Hcp (1300m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. “She was stiff at Matamata last time and it was a competitive race today,” trainer Stephen Marsh said. “She raced handy for Opie (Bosson) before finishing strongly – it was her fourth win from only 14 starts!”
La Bella Beals earned black-type last season when Group 3-placed in the Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) at Matamata.
Her Star Turn stablemate Academy Award looked all over a winner of the Sarten Memorial (Gr.2, 1400m) earlier on Premier Day at Te Rapa. She sprinted three lengths clear at the furlong only to be run down by Te Akau gelding Wild Night (Vanbrugh).
“I couldn’t be happier with Academy Award,” Marsh said. “I will assess things before deciding whether to press on to the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) at Riccarton next month. It’s a big trip and there are plenty of good options up here over Christmas.”
Vinery sire All Too Hard monopolised all the plaudits in Hong Kong on Sunday when Wellington won the Premier Bowl (Gr.2, 1200m) at Sha Tin. Nevertheless, trainer Richard Gibson didn’t forget to mention his Star Turn stablemate Cordyceps Six who made late ground to finish sixth.
“We were worried when he settled that far back because the track wasn’t really favouring run-on horses,” Gibson said. “We were hoping to see him ridden much further forward but he still finished very well.
“I thought it was a very encouraging run by Cordyceps Six with a view to the future.”
Star Turn has a perfect strike-rate in Hong Kong and that will focus attention on his filly from Zestily (Snitzel) that will parade as Lot 9 at the Magic Millions 2YO Sale on Tuesday. Catalogued by Baramul Stud, she is a half-sister to Lucky Gor (Shooting to Win) who won the Wong Chuk Hang Hcp (1200m) at Happy Valley on October 5.
Vinery stands Star Turn for a $27,500 (inc GST) service fee. For bookings or further information, please contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006).
