There’s a bit of expectation when champion trainer Ciaron Maher produces a filly called Ciaron’s Star, but the two year-old daughter of I Am Invincible might be well above average after opening her account at Randwick on Saturday in the $160,000 ATC Pierro Plate (1100m).
Having her second race start after a debut third at the same venue last month, Ciaron’s Star sat outside the leader and kicked on well to win by the best part of a length.
Ciaron Maher’s stable representative Jo Gerard-Dubord believes the performance has earned Ciaron’s Star a crack at the Golden Slipper lead up races.
"You've got a Sweet Embrace (Stakes) in two weeks, a Reisling (Stakes) in three weeks, so we will probably look at one or the other and decide from there," Gerard-Dubord said.
"She is very straightforward. Mentally, very mature. She was very good first-up, naturally she improved from that. She will just keep improving."
A $650,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Widden stud for Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / C Sneesby, Ciaron’s Star was bred by Widden in partnership and is the last foal from stakes-winning O’Reilly mare Bonny O’Reilly, who passed away in 2024.
Ciaron’s Star is a half-sister to stakes-placed Basquiat and is the fifth winner from five to race from Bonny O’Reilly, a sibling to stakes-winner Pretty to Sea and also to the dam of Group I winning $3.3million earner Espiona.
