The Art and Craft of Star 2YOs

He was a Group 1 winner in every season he raced except as a 2YO, but that hasn’t stopped Starcraft from leaving his share of talented juvenile performers. It’s a case for which 2YO filly Art And Craft supplied further evidence at Morphettville on Saturday. 

Already a winner at Balaklava, the strongly built Art And Craft was first out of the barrier but settled quickly outside the favourite A Saucy Snitzel (by Starcraft’s barn-mate Snitzel). Art And Craft challenged for the lead soon after rounding the home turn and finally got the better of the determined A Saucy Snitzel by a half-neck, with Flask 4 lengths away in third place. 

Trained by Bill Smart, Art And Craft is raced in partnership by her breeder Bruce Whitting, also the owner-breeder of her dam Miss Pavlova (by Sadler’s Wells’ grandson Blevic) and grand-dam Sugarplum Fairy (by Western Symphony). Miss Pavlova won four races in Adelaide and Melbourne at three and four, including the 2600-metre SAJC St Reims S. G3. She descends from the fine broodmare Valour, also the ancestress of Champion 2YO Burst and Group 1 winners Victory Prince, Bush Padre & Historian.  

Six of Starcraft’s 2YO winners have progressed to stakes success at three: Ain’tnofallenstar, Celebrity Girl, Singapore Sling, Starcheeka and most notably, dual Group 1 winners We Can Say It Now, and Blue Diamond winner Star Witness who won the VRC Ascot Vale S. as a spring 3YO.

Art And Craft resembles, and is bred on a similar cross to this season’s 3YO Group winner Lunar Rise (from the Sadler’s Wells mare Spirited Dancer). It may or may not be co-incidence that, like Starcraft’s best performers Star Witness, We Can Say It Now and Hallowell Belle, Art And Craft is the first foal of her dam.  

Starcraft stands at a fee of 2013 fee of $22,000 inc. GST