Tragically beaten at her most recent start, Treasured Star and Willie Pike redeemed themselves in Saturday’s $500,000 Group II Sky Racing-WA Guineas (1600m) when she sailed down the centre of the track to win by widening one and three-quarter lengths.
Pike came in for criticism when Treasured Star ran into a roadblock in the final 200 metres of the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes at Ascot on November 2.
Trained by Grant and Alana Williams, the lightly-raced daughter of Toronado (IRE) had no such problem here. After racing in midfield, Pike extracted Treasured Star into clear air in the straight. She finished powerfully to defeat Stay Safe (Safeguard) by one and three-quarter lengths, with the winners stablemate Devoted (Xtravagant) a further length back in third.
A homebred for Bob and Sandra Peters, Treasured Star advances her record to three wins and a second from five starts with earnings of $346,540.
“I like to see them do it, and she’s done it now,” Bob Peters said.
“There was a lot of hype, and all she had won was a maiden, a class one, and a class three.
“I held her back from the Champion Fillies because if she is as good as what people think, then she could get two more races, this one and maybe the next one (Kingson Town Stakes) if she pulls up well.
“She is not a big, strong, robust filly, so I thought there were only three runs in her, and it has worked out well.
Treasured Star is the best of two winners from as many to race out of the unraced Big Brown (USA) mare Treasured Gift.
A half-sister to the seven times stakes-winner and near $1million earner Battle Hero (Stratum), Treasured Gift had just one more foal before her death in July, a 2yo Pierro filly named Best Present.
Treasured Star becomes the 20th stakes-winner for Swettenham Stud shuttler Toronado (IRE).
The son of High Chaparral has had a monumental weekend with two winners at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
