Four for Star Witness
Widden Stud’s ever-consistent stallion Star Witness was provided with a memorable four-timer on Saturday.
The stallion, who stands Widden’s Victorian base, was represented by winners at four different tracks; with 5-year-old mare Kimmylee landing a race at Mudgee, while 3-year-old gelding Prime Asset saluted the judge at the Gold Coast, before Starlink triumphed at Walgett and Testifying got her head in front at Broome.
Star Witness | Standing at Widden Victoria
Star Witness will stand the upcoming breeding season at fee of $14,300 (inc GST)
Zoustar sires quartet of winners
Another Widden Stud-based sire enjoyed a brilliant day on the racetrack, as Zoustar also sired a four-timer on Saturday, headlined by a double at the Gold Coast.
The stallion’s quartet of winners included 2-year-old colt Zou Sensation, who got his head in front at Murray Bridge, while fellow juvenile Zouson Boy was successful at Kembla Grange.
Meanwhile, the stallion’s double on the Gold Coast was provided by 4-year-old mare Big Angel and 3-year-old filly Ronlee Gal.
The stallion, who was responsible for both the highest-priced yearling and weanling of the year, will stand the 2022 season for increased fee of $198,000 (inc GST), having stood last season for $154,000 (inc GST).
Three for Justify
Coolmore Stud shuttler Justify (USA) was handed his third first-crop winner on Friday when the Eddie Kenneally-trained Just Cindy (USA) (Justify {USA}) made a winning debut at Churchill Downs.
The 2-year-old filly showed an impressive turn of speed to surge home 3.8l ahead of Corningstone (USA) (Kantharos {USA}), while Champagne Calling (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}) was another 0.1l away in third.
Justify’s first Southern Hemisphere-bred runners will hit the track next season and he will stand his fourth year at Coolmore for a fee of $55,000 (inc GST)
Meanwhile, Saxon Warrior (Jpn), who also shuttles to Coolmore’s Hunter Valley base, was also provided with a third first-crop winner on Friday, when the Charlie and Mark Johnston-trained Killybegs Warrior (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) made a winning debut at Newmarket.
Like Justify, Saxon Warrior will also be represented by his first Australian-bred runners in the spring and he will stand the upcoming breeding season for a fee of $19,250 (inc GST).
Tuvalu rebounds at Flemington
Having already cemented his spot in the final of the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series, Lindsey Smith-trained Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}) scored a fighting win in another heat of the series at Flemington.
Tuvalu has now won six of his 10 starts, finishing second on the other four occasions, and Shane Jackson, deputising for Smith, said it was a relief to see the gelding back in winning form.
"We've always thought he's a good horse, but we've probably been spruiking him a little bit and coming home disappointed," Jackson said.
"He's yet to run a bad race in fairness and we've probably taken the bubble wrap off him a little bit."
Biometric back to winning ways
Biometric (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) surprised Lindsay Park when he landed his first win on soft ground at Flemington and in the process earning a start in the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Final.
Biometric showed plenty of promise in the UK as a young horse and won at Royal Ascot when he took out the 2019 Britannia H., in a victory famous for narrowly denying Frankie Dettori a five-timer and saving the bookmakers millions in payouts.
Joining Lindsay Park in 2020, it took Biometric until May 2021 to finally breakthrough for his new stable with Saturday's success his only win since.
"He has to be ridden perfectly and he was today," JD Hayes said.
"He's got a sprint of about 237 metres long, so you have to time it perfectly. He's been in work a long time, but he's in a really good zone at the moment and posted a good win."
Another winner for Maurice
Despite showing greenness, the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Kibou (Maurice {Jpn}) added a second win to his CV when he won over 1400 metres at Rosehill.
Stable representative Neil Paine said Kibou was a work in progress but he had stacks of natural ability.
"Terrific win. Naturally, stepping up from 1100 to 1400, you could see him just go a little bit keen for Regan (Bayliss)," Paine said.
"But Regan has got beautiful hands, so he relaxed the horse from the 1000 and just got him into a rhythm.
"He got a nice time in front and then bang, he pinged off the turn, so it was a very promising win."
