News - STAR WITNESS (AUS)
A $50,000 Classic Yearling Sale purchase from the Widden Stud draft, Star Witness filly El Morzillo won the $1m Inglis Sprint (1200m) at Flemington today as Kelly Schweida delivered a fairytale result for connections.
Te Akau and Fortuna Racing’s filly Bellatrix Star proved she is among Australia’s top sprinting three-year-olds last Saturday at Flemington, finishing second in the A$2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
There were four races run at Randwick on Saturday worth $1million or more and the $1million Listed ATC Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) went the way of progressive Star Witness gelding Iknowastar.
The Mark Walker-trained Bellatrix Star has continued her stunning run of form with an impressive victory in the Group II MRC Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday becoming the first three year-old filly in more than 20 years to win the race against older sprinters.
New Zealand syndicator Fortuna’s silks have been to the fore during Melbourne Cup Week through the deeds of Melody Belle, and they are hoping they can feature prominently once more through their rising star Bellatrix Star, a daughter of Widden Victoria's Star Witness.
Since winning the opening two-year-old race of the season in New Zealand a year ago, the Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star has been a model of consistency.
Speedy Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star won the first juvenile race of the season last year in New Zealand for Te Akau Racing and she was back in winning form at Flemington on Saturday when surging home late to take out the Listed VRC Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m).
In times past, many a racing tragic would have nursed a sore head at Wallabadah on New Year’s Day.
A $50,000 Inglis Classic purchase for Kelly Schweida from the Widden Stud draft, talented Star Witness filly El Morzillo gained valuable Black Type when finishing a game second on debut in the $200,000 Listed BRC Calaway Gal Stakes last month and was subsequently eased with the Inglis Millennium in mind.
Consistent Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star upset the favourites and showed she will be a force to be reckoned with in the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) later his month as she took out the Group II SKYCITY Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe on Monday.
Matthew Smith has done a great job placing talented Star Witness mare Frilled and after notching four successive wins at Nowra, Kembla and Moonee Valley she was sent out a hot favourite for the Benchmark 78 event over 955m at Moonee Valley on Friday night and duly sizzled around the course with Damien Oliver on board.
Widden young gun Trapeze Artist kept his momentum going with a new winner at Moonee Valley last night in Reprisal, while evergreen Widden stalwart Star Witness had a five winner Friday with unbeaten mare Frilled putting the icing on the cake with her first metro victory also at the Valley.
Here is the full list of 64 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia on Friday with winners and result details.
Matthew Smith has some nice horses in his stable heading into spring and one of the lesser lights has been quietly doing a great job with Star Witness mare Frilled resuming at Kembla on Thursday to make it three wins in as many starts.
Te Akau Racing unveiled yet another exciting juvenile at Wanganui on Saturday, with Star Witness filly Bellatrix Star taking out the opening two-year-old race of the season, the Whanganui Chronicle Maiden 2YO (800m).
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will reveal their newest juvenile prospect at Wanganui on Saturday, with impressive trial winner Bellatrix Star having her race-day debut.
Over 10,000 Hypothetical Matings have been created since Breednet introduced the popular feature on all Premium stallions and with the covering season starting tomorrow on September 1 we thought we’d highlight some proven affordable value sires for any breeders still considering sending their mare to stud this spring.
Choosing a proven sire that you know can get a Group I winner is one way of lessening the risk when what you really want to do is a breed a winner and Widden Stud’s Proven Play is going to prove hard to resist!
Widden Stud already had three stallions on their roster for this spring in the century club for siring 100 Australian winners this season in Zoustar, Nicconi and Magnus and added a fourth over the weekend when Star Witness also achieved the feat for the sixth year in a row!
The $125,000 Listed WATC Sheila Gwynne Classic (1400m) at Ascot in Perth in Saturday produced a new stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s stalwart sire Star Witness with Stellar Vista claiming the prize.