Ole Kirk and Farnan are two of the hottest young sires in the Hunter Valley and both had a new winner on Tuesday with one of those winners being our ‘One to Watch’.
The Gary Colvin trained Farnan gelding Party Boss broke through to win at Albury at his sixth start as favourite improving on a last start second, but it was the Robert Hickmott trained Ole Kirk colt Starfleet Command that caught our eye racing clear for an easy debut win at Ballarat.
Sent off as favourite in the 1400m maiden, Starfleet Command loomed into contention out wide when turning for home and ran right through the line to win by two and a half lengths for Harry Coffey.
Robert Hickmott revealed Starfleet Command was a work in progress and would take benefit from the run although at times he admitted he would have liked to geld the talented colt.
“He’s a well bred horse and I can understand the ownership group wanting to keep him a colt,” he said.
“His grand-dam won the Magic Millions and his dam was second in it, so he could be a valuable commodity going forward, although he’s going to stick on as I see him more as a miler plus so we look forward to his future.
“He’s a beautiful looking animal, a cracking type. Today was a good learning curve and they can often springboard off that, so hopefully we will see bigger and better things from him.”
Passed in twice as a weanling and yearling, Starfleet Command was retained to race and runs for a big syndicate headed by Darren Dance’s ATB Bloodstock.
He is a half-brother to Group II winner Comrade Rosa being the sixth winner from eight foals to race from stakes-winning Redoute’s Choice mare No Looking Back.
Starfleet Command is the 17th first crop winner for Ole Kirk and is his third from seven runners this season.
Ole Kirk is fully booked at a fee of $99,000 at Vinery Stud this spring.
