Star Ambition is a clone of his sire Star Turn and looked more like a stallion letting down for the season than a 2-year-old making his career debut over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast.
Ridden by James Orman for Toby Edmonds, the odds-on favourite was made to work to find the lead from an outside barrier but found enough down the straight to repel the challenge of the talented Spirit Of Boom gelding King Spirit by a half-length.
Gerry Harvey bred the winner and runner-up and came through the Baramul Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Though the margin was narrow, Toby Edmonds is confident Star Ambition has better days ahead.
“He paraded quite big and gross, and it’s always the sixty-four million dollar question how fit you have them first up,” Edmonds said.
“He comes off a fairly quick preparation. He has had a couple of trials with not much work between.
Drawing that barrier was a bit of a worry, and we had to use him a lot. He has plenty of speed, but drawing soft would have been better.
“He is my best two-year-old. The season has not been that great, but we have won a few 2-year-old races.
“He is a horse that could progress and will improve quite sharply. “
Star Ambition was a $140,000 purchase for Kitchwin Hills/MiRunners from Book 2 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
The strapping chestnut is the second winner from as many to race for the Big Brown (USA) mare Divergence.
The winner of two and placed seven times in a 17-start career, Divergence has a yearling filly by Pariah that failed to make her $15,000 reserve at the Adelaide Magic Millions.
After foaling an Exceedance colt last spring, Divergence revisited Star Turn.
The Vinery Stud stallion enjoyed a wonderful weekend with his 2-year-old after Megastar Heart captured the Listed Oklade Stakes at Eagle Farm.
