Heavenly Run From Strike The Stars

Strike The Stars put himself in line for upcoming Gr 1 honours in the Spring Champion Stakes with a dominant display to open his winning account at Rosehill on Saturday .

The Gartshore Bloodstock Ltd-bred three-year-old overcame an early mishap to shed his maiden tag in emphatic fashion with a runaway victory in the Gr 3 Gloaming Stakes.

The gelding knuckled over soon after the start to settle back of midfield and rider Hugh Bowman was content to then bide his time on the rails. When the field fanned out into the straight, Strike The Stars was into the clear and he dashed away to win by three-quarters of a length and with plenty in reserve.

While the performance marked his first visit to the winner’s stall, he has long been held in high regard by trainer Anthony Cummings. His faith in the horse was repaid at his previous appearance when he took on the older horses to finish third in the Gr 2 Chelmsford Stakes at Warwick Farm.

“It’s still really his first racing prep so to get to the [Spring] Champion Stakes is a fantastic thing for him,” Cummings said. “He’s got the makings of an above average stayer. It finished up being a harder run that we expected after he stumbled out of the gates. The idea was for him to be further forward. He’s a really good horse, going places.”

A brother to the winner Ambitious Princess and half-brother to the multiple winners Royal Ambition (Royal Academy) and Stallion Supreme (Pins), Cummings purchased Strike The Stars for $A80,000 from WS’s draft to the Sydney Easter Sale last year. He is out of the Last Tycoon mare Ambitious who won two races and also finished runner-up in the Gr 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas, as did her dam Starcent. Another close relation is the Gr 1 VRC Oaks placegetter Placement (Savabeel).

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Tullamore completed another good day for Savabeel when he finished third in the Gr 2 Hill Stakes over 2000 metres. He was second-up in a new campaign and fought on bravely to further his preparation for the Melbourne staying features.