Date posted February 21, 2010 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
Choisir,
Premium Updates,
Racing and Breeding,
Staff FavouritesThe Group I Oakleigh Plate launched the career of Fastnet Rock and now Coolmore will hope that history will repeat as it assists with the career of recent acquisition Starspangledbanner after the chestnut’s thrilling win in the speed event at Caulfield on Saturday.
Starspangledbanner was duly rewarded after doing all the hard work in the Group One sprint on the Blue Diamond card. Parading in a lot better state at Caulfield than he did when resuming in the Group One VRC Lightning Stakes on January 30, where he finished fourth, the son of Choisir showed he was on top of his game settling just off the speed and charged home down the middle of the track for regular partner Dan Nikolic.
He stuck his head out when it mattered most in the tight finish to deny the dead-heaters Here de Angels (Dehere - Angelic Belle by Kenmare) and Arinos (Akhadan - Maid of Marske by Estaminet) in the 1100 metre dash.
Starspangledbanner wins the Oakleigh Plate in a thriller
“I thought he had won but I didn’t want to be get overly confident because they kept charging at him and he started to stagger a little bit,” Nikolic said.
“It was a great effort because there is definitely improvement in the horse.”
Already a Group One winner last spring having captured the MRC Caulfield Guineas over 1600 metres the Leon Corstens trained colt now has an overall record of six wins and two placings from 11 starts with prizemoney of more than $1.3 million.
Starspangledbanner was purchased before his first up run in the Lightning by Coolmore Stud and Michael Tabor, in whose blue and orange colours he now runs.
A $120,000 purchase at the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for Brad Spicer and Newmarc Bloodstock, 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 Song is a half-sister to Group One AJC Australian Oaks winner Circles of Gold, renowned as the dam of champion racehorses Elvstroem and Haradasun.
God's Own ex Our Sistine, lot 314, to be sold at the William Inglis Premier sale
Starspangledbanner was the first Group One winner for his illustrious sire Choisir, who made racing history when he travelled to Royal Ascot in 2003 to win the Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes and Group Two King’s Stand Stakes, a feat his brilliant son will attempt to emulate later this year when he joins the stable of Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle.
Starspangledbanner is one of five Australian stakes-winners for Choisir this season.
Tony Santic’s Makybe will offer a half-sister to Starspangledbanner at the William Inglis Easter yearling sale. Catalogued as lot 450, the bay filly is by Rock of Gibraltar. The stud is offering another nine yearlings including a chestnut filly by Fusaichi Pegasus from Mum (Makybe Diva) at the sale.
Santic has 10 yearlings catalogued for sale at the Premier sale at Oaklands including a colt by God’s Own from Our Sistine (by Peintre Celebre). He has a good temperament and built like a Blue Diamond contender for 2011.
