With five runners it was no surprise that Bob and Sandra Peters won their eighth Group II Perth Cup at Ascot on Saturday, but it was a shock that it came with the $35 outsider Star Exhibit who ran down the favoured Action.
After being well back early, Star Exhibit followed Action in to the straight before Peter Hall mounted his challenge on the outsider who defeated Action (Pierro) by a neck with Prize Catch (Zoffany) two lengths back in third. (photo Western Racepix )
Winner of the race two years ago when trained by Geoff Durant and Jason Miller, Star Exhibit was then sent to Darren Weir and won first-up in the Listed Anniversary Vase at Caulfield back in May 2017.
He finished second in the Group 1 Doomben 10000 but when he went winless in his next four starts he was off the scene for a year and was sent back west to be trained by Adam Durrant.
His second Perth Cup triumph was his first in six starts for his new stable.
It was a third win in the Cup for Hall after Black Tom (2006) and Delicacy (2016).
Hall rode the 7yo gelding in his first three starts back in June 2015 but had not been on his back again before Saturday.
Star Exhibit was one of three runners in the race out of the outstanding broodmare Star Encounter (Jeune). The other two, Royal Star and Perfect Jewel finished 10th and 14th respectively.
A son of the pensioned Statue Of Liberty (USA), Star Exhibit advances his record to 10 wins, 4 seconds and 2 thirds from 29 starts with earnings of $1,258,025
"He was the least likely of our horses to win but in his last race he ran the second fastest last 600 metres so I was starting to think he was just about there," Bob Peters said.
The 7yo son of Statue Of Liberty (USA) is the first foal of the Listed stakes winner Star Encounter (Jeune) who placed in the WA Oaks, WA Derby and Strickland Stakes on the way to compiling a record of eight wins and seven placings from 30 starts with earnings of $563,090.
The second foal of Star Encounter, the 5yo Redoute's Choice mare Royal Star made it two out of two stakes winners when successful in the Listed Natasha Stakes before finishing second in the WA Oaks and her earnings total almost $330,000.
Royal Stars full-sister Perfect Jewel made it three out of three stakes-winners when she won the Group II WATC West Australian Guineas and Listed Belgravia Stakes and her earnings total over $562,000.
Star Encounter has an unraced 3yo colt and a 2yo filly by Statue Of Liberty (USA). She missed to that stallion in 2017 before being covered by Dundeel last spring.
A son of Storm Cat, Statue Of Liberty was retired last year to live out his days at Sun Stud headquarters at Kerrie in the Macedon Ranges.
He sired 20 stakes-winners led by the Group 1 Manikato Stakes hero Hay List.
