Group-winning double for Starcraft
Do You Think (ex Chickens by Danehill) didn’t make the Golden Slipper field, but opened an excellent day for his sire Starcraft when he won the first race at Rosehill, the $125,000 ATC T.L. Bailleu S. 1400m G3 in impressive fashion.
Pictured: Hugh Bowman pilots Do You Think to a valuable Group 3 victory at Rosehill today. (PHOTO: Sportpix).
It was the second victory in two starts for the 2YO colt, who stormed home to win on debut at Canterbury on 18 March. Bred by David Moore of Soliloquy Lodge in New Zealand, he was a $360,000 purchase by DGR Thoroughbred Services from the Haunui Farm draft at the 2010 New Zealand Premier Sale. He is trained by Bart Cummings for Dato Tan Chin Nam & Tunku Ahmad Yahaya and may now head towards the AJC Sires’ Produce S. G1 next Saturday and the AJC Champagne S. G1 on 16 April.
Ninety minutes after Do You Think became Starcraft’s fifth stakeswinner this season, number six arrived in the shape of 3YO gelding Starcheeka (ex Born A Star by Canny Lad) who led all the way in the $NZ70,000 MRC Manawatu Classic 2000m G3 at Awapuni in New Zealand. It was Starcheeka’s fourth win from 10 starts for trainer Stephen McKee and owners Peter Walker & Anthony Timpson who paid $200,000 for him at the 2008 Magic Millions Winter Weanling Sale where was consigned by Oakwood Farm as agent for breeder Silvertaire Thoroughbred Racing Pty Ltd.
Both Chickens and Born A Star were sold in foal to Starcraft at the 2007 Magic Millions Winter Broodmare Sale, as part of the Starcraft Promotion draft offered by Paul & Lyndall Makin who won five Group 1 races with the champion miler in Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
With season earnings of $1,177,148, Starcraft is now third, behind Stratum and Snitzel , on the Australian 2nd Season Sires’ list, and remains at the head of the equivalent New Zealand table, with five winners from only 7 runners and $406,940.
Starcraft’s other four stakeswinners in 2010/11 are Group One winners Star Witness & We Can Say It Now, and Listed stakeswinners Ain’tnofallenstar and Singapore Sling, while his stakes-placed runners include 2YO filly Hallowell Belle, second in the MRC Blue Diamond S. G1 to Sepoy, the outstanding winner of today’s Golden Slipper G1.
Starcraft has just one yearling from his small 2009 crop on offer at this week’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Lot 62 in the Arrowfield draft , a colt from the Sadler’s Wells mare Spirited Dancer.
