Three cheers for Starcraft in Hong Kong

Starcaft’s son Hey Cheers picked up his third win from four starts in Hong Kong this season when he burst through the field late to score over 1600 metres at Sha Tin.

The 5YO gelding was slightly tardy at the start of the 1600-metre event, but quickly made up ground and jockey Tye Angland soon had him travelling easily in sixth position on the rail. At the top of the straight it seemed that the best option might be to go wide, but as Angland considered his options, a gap opened up to his right and the pair promptly dashed through it for a one-length victory.

A half-brother to Group 2-winning sprinter German Chocolate, from the unraced Rory’s Jester mare Carina, Hey Cheers is descended from Haunui Farm’s wonderful racemare Rosie’s Girl, also the ancestress of NZ 2000 Guineas G1 winner Magic Cape.

Bred by Sean Buckley’s Barree Stud, Hey Cheers trialled three times in Victoria as Ultra Eightyeight before being exported to Hong Kong in August 2012. His success over the past two months has come after transfer to the stable of new Hong Kong trainer Chris So who has already notched up 15 wins in 2013/14.

Starcraft, sire of 14 stakeswinners including dual Group 1 winners Star Witness and We Can Say It Now, was also represented yesterday at Randwick by 2YO filly Dual Star beaten a head in the $250,000 Inglis Nursery.

There are 15 Starcraft yearlings catalogued for the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, among them a half-sister to Not A Single Doubt and a filly from the Redoute’s Choice mare Flowerchild in the Arrowfield draft.