Powerhouse chestnut colt Starspangledbanner made easy work of the Listed MRC Vain Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday with an all the way effort over 1100 metres.

Trained by Leon Corstens, and ridden by Dan Nikolic, the colt jumped away best and worked forward to lead with his ears pricked.  Rounding the home turn Starspangledbanner shook off the challengers in the straight to beat Éclair Fastpass (Fastnet Rock ex Hanover by Marscay) by two-and-a-half lengths.

Starspangledbanner has a lovely high cruising speed, a good looking colt he sports a white splash mark on his belly on his offside.  He’s building a good record with three wins and two placings from six starts with earnings of more than $300,000.  

Starspangledbanner looks set for a good spring carnival and he has shown that he can be ridden off the pace and Corstens will place him accordingly.

“We’re hopeful… his sire Choisir ran third in the Caulfield Guineas, so he might get further, you just have to keep your fingers crossed,” said Corstens.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Starspangledbanner was bred and offered for sale by Tony Santic’s Makybe.

Starspangledbanner is the third foal of stakes-placed Gold Anthem, whose dam National Anthem is a half-sister to Group One AJC Australian Oaks winner Circles of Gold, renowned as the dam of champion racehorses Elvstroem and Haradasun.

Gold Anthem has a two year-old filly by Royal Academy that made $120,000 at Magic Millions earlier this year and a yearling filly by Rock of Gibraltar .

Starspangledbanner becomes the first Australian stakes-winner for the new season for Choisir and is his 17th stakes-winner worldwide.

Permalink| Aug 18, 2009

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