There are few more likeable horses going around than the Ocean Park gelding Star Of The Seas who was rewarded for his consistency with a commanding performance in Saturday’s Group III Canadian Club Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.
Run in driving rain, the favourite Zoustyle looked all over the winner at the 200 metres but he stopped so quickly that it came as no surprise to learn that he has bled.
After being well back early, James McDonald brought Star Of The Seas with a well-timed run to defeat the wet-tracker River Bird (Epaulette) by a length with Spending To Win (Snitzel) another half-head back in third.
It was the first stakes win for Star Of The Seas who was third behind Kolding and Te Akau Shark in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap and third again in the $1 million The Gong at Kembla Grange won by his Chris Waller-trained stablemate Miss Sea Wolfe (IRE).
The 5yo gelding advances his overall record to 7 wins, 4 seconds and 4 thirds from 18 starts with earnings of $645,600.
"He has an impeccable record on this sort of ground," McDonald told AAP.
"It was short of his best, but Chris and his team had him primed to be as ready as he can.
"He's a good horse in these conditions. It's extremely heavy and getting worse and worse."
Withdrawn from New Zealand Bloodstock's 2016 Select Yearling Sale by Trelawney Stud because of x-ray issues, Star Of The Seas was sold in a private transaction to Tony Muollo.
A three-quarter brother to Aquis Farm’s magnificent looking Spieth (Thorn Park), Star Of The Seas is out of the imported Titus Livius mare Stella Livia (GB) whose only racetrack appearance for Richard Gibson was a ninth of 10 over a mile for two-year-olds at Longchamp.
Stella Livia (GB) was purchased by Tasman Bloodstock for 50,000 guineas at the 2007 Tattersalls December Mare Sale and besides Spieth and Star Of The Seas she is the dam of the $250,000 earner Travancore who seemed to have a found a new lease on life after joining the Clare Cunningham team.
A half-sister to the Group 1 winner Ransom O’War (Red Ransom), the Horse of the Year & Champion 3YO in Germany in 2003 (Int.), Stella Livia (GB) had her seventh and final foal, a colt by Shamexpress, sell to Danny O’Brien for $80,000 at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Named Alcides, he has placed in all four starts to date.
Stella Livia (GB) comes from a family well known in Australasia.
Her dam Sombreffe (Polish Precedent) is a half-sister to the very useful Danzig stallion Snaadee (USA) out of the stakes-placed What A Pleasure mare Somfas who is the great-granddam of the triple Group 1 winner and promising young sire Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit).
Star Of The Seas becomes the seventh stakes-winner for Waikato Stud's WS Cox Plate winner Ocean Park.
