Star Turn Running Red Hot

Mark Smith - Sunday January 23

Vinery Stud’s Star Turn has been on a winning run of late.

Wiltshire kickstarted it when scoring at Canberra on Friday. Then Pomade won on debut at Doomben on Saturday before Alqantur spaced them on debut in Singapore.

Demon Blood joined the party when he opened his winning account at Geelong on Sunday at just his second start.

The Kris Lees-trained Pomade did plenty wrong on debut but still had a short-neck to spare over the fast-finishing Fastnet Rock filly Bessmati. Another Star Turn debutant, the Annabel Neasham-trained Good Girl, was one and a quarter lengths back in third.

Carrying the colours of his sire, Pomade was a $70,000 purchase by his trainer from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2021 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale.

Pomade a $70,000 Scone yearling

Stable representative Mel Eggleston said the stable came north with plenty of confidence.

“His owner, Alan Bell, is here today. He said he would ping sit outside the leader, which he did.

“Kris sent him up here to give him a confidence booster. He still has a lot to learn, as you can see when he wanted to get away from the winning post.

Advertisement

“He looks very promising and is a cracking type. He is very laid back. Nothing fazes him. He came up here on Thursday, and we gave him a trot and canter with the blinkers on to sharpen him up a bit.”

Alqantur was no less impressive at his debut over 1200m in Singapore.

The Michael Clements-trained son of Star Turn needed little more than a shake of the reins by Louis Beuzelin to defeat the Proisir gelding Bingo Master by three and a quarter lengths with the I Am Invincible gelding Deception a further two and a half lengths back in third.

Another masterful pinhook by Riversley Park for $15,000 from the Rosemont Stud draft at the 2019 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale, Alqantur made $130,000 to the bid of Al Rashid Stables / Bevan Smith Bloodstock (BAFNZ) at the 2020 NZB Ready To Run Sale.

Alqantur a $130,000 Karaka Ready To Run Sale purchase

The Clinton McDonald-trained Demon Blood did not strike a blow on debut when seventh behind the talented Duchy Of Savoy at Sandown on January 5, but showed the experience woke him up with a convincing win over 1100m at Geelong on Sunday.

With Mark Zahra in the saddle, Demon Blood savaged the line to defeat the Pride Of Dubai filly Glamouring by a half-length with the Tivaci filly All She Wrote a further one and three-quarter lengths back in third.

Zahri believed the son of star Turn has a nice future.

“I was trying to get to the fence to help him, but I could not get across with Damian Thornton inside of me,” Zahra said.

“I was one out and one back, and he did come off the bridle a couple of times. I gave him a shake-up at the 600m to keep him focussed, and he went quick when I asked.

“He wanted to duck in when he got to the front, but the win was full of merit because he wanted to sit down in the last bit. When he saw the other thing, he went again.

“He is a beautiful type, and his manners were great, so very positive.”

Demon Blood was a $180,000 purchase by his trainer from the Esker Lodge draft at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Demon Blood a $180,000 Inglis Premier Yearling

He is the fifth winner from as many to race out of the unraced Taimazov (ARG) mare Loves Attention, a half-sister to champion stallion Written Tycoon.

Also, the dam of the stakes-placed Murt The Flirt and the $306,000 earner Divine Dice, Loves Attention has a 2yo filly by Merchant Navy and a yearling filly by Grunt.

Star Turn a sire on fire

Advertisment

Race Result - Bet365 Odds Drift Protect. Mdn 1100m

Geelong Track: Good(4) Time: 1:04.68
1
Demon Blood
- 3g Star Turn (AUS) x Loves Attention (AUS) (Taimazov (ARG))
Tnr: C W McDonald Rdr: M Zahra 58
2
0.5
Glamouring
- 3f Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Count Your Fingers (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: Simon Zahra Rdr: Damien Thornton 56
3
2.3
All She Wrote
- 3f Tivaci (AUS) x Songbird (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe (USA))
Tnr: M M Laurie Rdr: Ethan Brown 56
4
2.5
Twelve Gauge
- 5g Bullet Train (GB) x Circus Rock (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: B I Stanaway Rdr: Sheridan Clarke 56.5
5
2.6
Pink And Black
- 4m Toronado (IRE) x Misty Blue (AUS) (Commands (AUS))
Tnr: Jamie Edwards Rdr: J Noonan 57.5
6
4.4
King Tommy
- 3g Capitalist (AUS) x Torah (AUS) (Spinning World (USA))
Tnr: M J Ellerton Rdr: Damian Lane 58
7
4.6
Ruggiero
- 3c Kermadec (NZ) x Alcina (GER) (Tiger Hill (IRE))
Tnr: Mitchell Freedman Rdr: Tahlia Hope 58
8
16.6
Brass Knuckles
- 4g More Than Ready (USA) x Rare Fragrance (AUS) (Show A Heart (AUS))
Tnr: Nicholas Roe Rdr: A Lynch 59.5
9
25.6
Abraxos
- 6g Star Witness (AUS) x Shriver (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Alan Hanrahan Rdr: Tatum Bull 58
More Reading...
Derby Dreaming for Crown of Russia
Danny O’Brien already has one promising winner by his former G1 star Russian Camelot (IRE) in the stable in Censori and on Sunday at Bendigo he unleashed another.
Sires With Winners - Sunday September 7
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Ka Ying Rising Straight to Everest Quarantine after Return Romp
Hong Kong Champion Ka Ying Rising was headed straight to quarantine to prepare for the Group I The Everest after another stunning performance when resuming for the new season on Sunday at Sha Tin.
Sires With Winners - Saturday September 6
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Stakes Goals Ahead for Supido Mare
Astute trainer David Payne is no stranger to G1 success and has always held Supido mare Shohisha in high regard and she showed the potential of better things to come this spring when powering home to win the Benchmark 94 event over 1600m at Randwick on Saturday.
Ones to Watch – Bendigo
At this time of year, you tend to take special notice of well-bred 3YO debut winners and three of them arrived at Bendigo on Sunday that were all interesting for different reasons and none more so than one who has a name that has become infamous this year.
More Stakes Success for Impending - Cool Memory Wins Listed Farnley
A son of Larneuk Stud's value Lonhro stallion Impending, five year old Cool Memory bolted in to claim his second stakes win and bring joy to favourite backers on a rain-drenched Saturday at Belmont Park.
Pericles Turns Back the Clock
Six year-old Street Boss (USA) gelding Pericles won the Group II ATC Tramway Stakes (1400m) two years ago in 2023 when trained by James Cummings and he repeated the effort at Randwick on Saturday, but this time he is in the care of Bjorn Baker.
G1 Haydock Sprint Cup Upset
Wathnan Racing were expecting to win the Group I Haydock Sprint Cup (6f) overnight with short priced race favourite Lazzat, but the best he could manage was fifth behind progressive three year-old colt Big Mojo.
Pedigree Watch – 3YO Plus That G1 Late Bloomer
Saturday delivered another exciting instalment of early spring racing with three stakes races for 3YO’s and once again all of them were won by new first time stakes-winners that were virtually unsighted at two and we also had a new G1 winner, whose path to the top has been anything but smooth.