Starspangledbanner made it three wins on the trot when he showed a ton of courage to hold off his challengers in the Group 3 H.D. F. McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
A powerful chestnut colt, with a white splash mark on his off side under his belly, Starspangledbanner jumped away well under Dan Nikolic as the pace was poured on by Most Immediate and Carlton Forward with Tickets following just behind them. Nikolic had Starspangledbanner on a long reign and in a good rhythm out wide just off them. Rounding the home turn Nikolic waited for Carlton Forward and Most Immediate to run out of gas before he made his move. From then Starspangledbanner had the race in his keeping and took the event by three-quarters-of-a-length from Tollesprit (Bel Esprit – Tolleranza by Alzao) with Éclair Fastpass (Fastnet Rock – Hanover by Marscay) another half-length away in third.

Trained by Leon Corstens, Starspangledbanner once again show cased his high cruising speed, as he continues to build on his grand record with four wins and two placing’s from seven starts with earnings of more than $400,000.
   Corstens told TVN’s Bruce Clark that he’ll continue to step his work out with the Group I Caulfield Guineas over 1600m his ultimate goal at the course on October 10th.
  His next run will be in the Guineas Prelude over 1400m and Corstens will make his final decision about the Guineas after that event.
   A $120,000 purchase at the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Starspangledbanner was bred and offered for sale by Tony Santic’s, Makybe. He 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 (Danehill) and Haradasun (Fu Peg).
  Gold Anthem (by Made of Gold) was a moderate racemare as she only recorded two wins during her career although she did finish runner-up in the Listed SAJC Balcrest Stakes.   Along with Starspangledbanner she is also the dam of the stakes placed Gold Chant (by El Moxie) a winner of five races and is out of National Song (by Vain) a half-sister to the AJC Group I Oaks winner, Circles of Gold (by Marscay) and the VRC Group 2 Blamey Stakes winner, Gold Wells (by Barathea).
   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 was Choisir’s first Australian stakes-winner for the new season when he took out the Listed Vain Stakes two weeks earlier and is his 17th stakes-winner worldwide.
   Choisir was on show at Coolmore’s annual stallion parade over the weekend and he is looking in great condition and is expected to cover another large book of mares at the stud for a fee of $35,750 (inc gst).

Permalink| Aug 31, 2009

Comments are closed.