Making her third trip to the races, the Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes-trained filly Turnstar rewarded the faith of punters when opening her winning account over 900m at Newcastle on Saturday.
With Christian Reith in the saddle, the daughter of Star Turn finished strongly to defeat the stubborn Xtravagant gelding Xpresso by a long-head with a further three-quarters of a length back to the 3yo Swiss Ace gelding Polylithic in third.
Turnstar was making her first appearance since finishing second in an 1100m maiden on a bottomless track at Werribee on January 29.
A $50,000 purchase by Hawkes Racing out of the Kia Ora Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale Round 2, Turnstar received a huge update to her pedigree when her half-brother Wellington (All Too Hard) won the Group 1 The Chairman's Sprint at Sha Tin in April.
Turnstar's dam Mihiri is a four-time winning daughter of More Than Ready (USA), was third behind Lilliburlero and Neena Rock in the Group II ATC Breeders' Classic at Rosehill.
Tricolours Racing and Syndications bought Mihiri's Star Witness filly for $85,000 out of the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
After missing to Deep field in 019, Mihiri was covered by All Too Hard last spring.
Turnstar becomes the 16th winner for Star Turn, whose 15 winners in Australia is second only to Capitalist (18) on the first season sires' table and is just one adrift of the champion Snitzel on the number of individual 2yo winners.
The son of Star Witness represents excellent value at a fee of $16,500 at Vinery Stud this spring.
