With old foe Mystical Pursuit back home in her stall due to an elevated white cell count, the way was clear for Still A Star to make it seven wins in her past eight starts and a fourth consecutive Listed stake win in Sunday’s $150,000 Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) at Launceston.
With regular rider Brendon Mc Coull in the saddle the Bill Ryan-trained daughter of Toronado (IRE) was the lone local against a field of six Victorians. Mc Coull looked undecided on whether to go forward or back after the start. He chose back was caught three wide and then elected to go forward to sit outside the leader.
No sooner had he done that when a couple of backmarkers pushed on to tackle the lead. In danger of being pushed back in the field, Mc Coull again eased out three wide and was there to the home turn when she was asked for the supreme effort.
Despite tiring, Still A Star held a short-neck advantage over the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Pins filly Look Sharpish with Lindsay Park’s well-supported Rock Hero filly Belix a half-neck back in third.
The run of stakes wins for Still A Star began with the Listed Tasmanian Guineas, then the Listed Launceston Guineas and the Listed Strutt Stakes.
Ryan said his star filly had done enough this preparation and would be given a well-deserved spell.
“They chopped and changed throughout the race, but the best horse won, she loves a fight and won’t lay down,” Ryan said.
Ryan admitted he was worried when Still A Star missed the Tasmanian Derby through illness.
“I was more worried than I let on that’s for sure,” he said.
“I thought she had a bit more to offer after the Strutt because we scoped her and there was still a bit of mucus in her throat. We cleaned that up and had her rescoped and blooded during the week and she was spot on.
“She’s going straight to the paddock now.”
A $13,000 purchase by Monica Ryan out of the Alva Stud draft at the 2018 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, Still A Star advances her record to 7 wins and 5 seconds with earnings of $411,190.
The daughter of Toronado (IRE) is out of the Brisbane winning Casino Prince mare Lita, who is a daughter of the top-class Stravinsky mare Royal Asscher the winner of the Group III MVRC Red Anchor Stakes, Listed VRC Ottawa Stakes and Listed MRC William Crockett Stakes and was third in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Purchased by Alva Stud for $20,000 at the 2015 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, Lita missed to Alpine Eagle in 2018 and was covered by Spendthrift Farm’s Bolt D'Oro (USA) last spring.
Alva Stud will consign a Manhattan Rain half-sister to Still A Star at tomorrows Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
