Starcraft Wednesday at Matamata
The excitement keeps building around Arrowfield’s first season sire Starcraft who was represented by two strapping fillies in their raceday debuts over 1200 metres at Matamata in New Zealand today, and came away with a head-turning victory and a fighting second.
Both fillies, the chestnut We Can Say it Now and the bay Simply Brilliant, are trained by Murray and Bjorn Baker and came to Matamata after impressive trial wins at Cambridge on 4 May. Paul and Lyndall Makin’s company, Paulyn Investments Pty Ltd, bred & races the fillies as part of the Makins’ strong commitment to the stud career of Starcraft, who took them to the Group One winners’ circle five times in four countries and was named World Champion Older Turf Miler in 2005.
On a testing track rated Slow7, We Can Say It Now (ex We Can’t Say That by Generous) missed the jump and settled third last by the 800-metre mark. She then moved forward comfortably, but was four wide coming into the straight where she responded to jockey Michael Coleman’s urging and, despite showing her inexperience in the final 200 metres, pushed on powerfully to win by a half-length and two-and-a-quarter lengths in 1:14.18.
Trackside TV’s studio host Darryl Anderson described We Can Say it Now’s performance as, “A real shining light on a misty, cool winter’s day.”
Thirty-five minutes later Simply Brilliant (ex She’s A Pretender by Danehill) started in the second race for maiden two-year-old fillies at Matamata. She jumped with the field and settled fourth, one off the fence, and travelled sweetly before going after the leaders at the top of the straight. As she hit the front it was clear the ground was not to her liking, but she fought on gamely and went down by only a half-head to Pooka’s Sister in 1:13.95.
Starcraft, who stands at a fee of $38,500 (inc. GST) in 2010, has now had five winners and four placegetters from 15 first-crop runners in Australia and New Zealand, among them Group One winner Star Witness (MRC Blue Diamond S. G1) who, like We Can Say It Now, won on debut, and stakes-placed Mr Spock (3rd Matamata Slipper LR).
Starcraft’s other first-crop winners are Starstreamed, Ain’Tnofallenstar (both Australia) and Starcheeka (New Zealand). The son of Soviet Star and Flying Floozie is currently fourth on the Australian First Season Sires’ list, just behind Snitzel, who stands alongside him at Arrowfield.
