Sea the Stars Australian Stakes Quinella

Tara Madgwick - Saturday June 3

The $160,000 Listed ATC Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday produced a stakes quinella for Aga Khan Stud’s Sea the Stars, who sired Emily Upjohn to win the Group I Coronation Cup at Epsom on Friday.

Al Aabir (IRE) claims his first stakes win in Australia - image Steve Hart

It was also a Chris Waller quinella with Al Aabir (IRE) edging out his stablemate Desert Icon (FR)  to win by a neck in a thrilling finish with Kerrin McEvoy taking off on the favourite a long way from home to put him into the race.

Al Aabir came to Australia after just two starts in the UK where he placed both times and broke his maiden at Ballarat last September. He has gradually worked through his grades and was favourite for the Winter Cup with his first Black Type success taking his overall record to five wins and five placings from 13 starts.

"It was a bold move from Kerrin to get going as early as he did," Waller said.

"The plan was to ride him conservative, just steady and build. But that's the art of these good jockeys they make these decisions based on the lack of tempo, which the race was lacking in the middle stages. 

Advertisement

"He got going and he knew what he was doing." 

Al Aabir was originally purchased by Shadwell as a yearling at Tattersalls October for 200,000 guineas and was then bought by Go Racing NZ for 50,000 guineas at the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.

He is the best of two winners from Wo De Xin, an unraced Shamardal mare from the family of Group I winners Love Divine, Sixties Icon and Dunboyne Express.

Sea the Stars

Al Aabir is the 106th stakes-winner for Galileo’s champion half-brother Sea the Stars, who stands at the Aga Khan’s Gilltown Stud at a fee of 180,000 euros.

Advertisment

Race Result - Bowermans Winter Cup LR 2400m

Rosehill Track: Good(4) Time: 2:33.00
1
Al Aabir
- 4g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Wo De Xin (GB) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: K Mc Evoy 53
2
0.2
Desert Icon
- 7g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Plume Rose (GB) (Marchand De Sable (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Prebble 59
3
1.5
The Mediterranean
- 5h Galileo (IRE) x Flashy Wings (GB) (Zafonic (USA))
Tnr: Sara Ryan Rdr: Reece Jones 55.5
4
2.9
Auspicious Cloud
- 4m American Pharoah (USA) x Galizani (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: J Ford 53
5
3.0
Spirit Ridge
- 8g Nathaniel (IRE) x Tates Creek (USA) (Rahy (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: S Clipperton 58.5
6
3.1
Pesto
- 7g New Approach (IRE) x Pickle (GB) (Piccolo (GB))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: Tyler Schiller 53
7
3.4
Shameless Miss
- 5m Shamexpress (NZ) x Courtney (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Ms K O'Hara 53
8
3.8
Credit Crunch
- 5m Real Impact (JPN) x Bec Said No Credit (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Smith Rdr: D R Beasley 54
9
8.2
Herman Hesse
- 6g Frankel (GB) x Dream Peace (IRE) (Dansili (GB))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 54
More Reading...
Gimcrack Winner Bred By Cornerstone
THE "BACKSLAPPING" in the backwaters of the Barossa on Saturday afternoon, paled into insignificance when compared to the celebrations of the connections of SHIKI that won on debut!
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 7
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wrote SW on Comeback Trail
Robbie Patterson had high Classic hopes for Read About It last season before his rising young star’s progress was halted by illness.
MM Gold Coast Horses In Training Sale Links
Tuesday saw the final breeze ups at the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Horses In Training Sale which starts on Thursday so here’s our links to useful data including the pinhook report, with most lots having been sold previously.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
2025 G1 Caulfield Guineas Field and Barrier Draw
A full field plus emergencies have accepted for the $3million Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on Saturday with Golden Rose runners Wodeton, Autumn Boy, Nepotism and Rivellino all engaged.
Briasa Boost as More Youngsters Impress on HIT Sale Eve
The timing couldn’t be better for a sale page's pedigree boost, with Briasa announcing himself as one of Australia’s most exciting sprinters following his dominant victory in Saturday’s $1 million Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
OTI Racing officially enters New Zealand market
OTI Racing is officially going trans-Tasman, with the Australian syndicator becoming a licensed New Zealand syndicator this week.
Sword of State 2YO Ready for Debut
A pair of promising youngsters are set to make their debut for Cambridge trainer Chad Ormsby at Avondale on Wednesday, but track conditions may scupper plans for one of them.
National Thoroughbred Week invites support through GoFundMe campaign
National Thoroughbred Week (NTW) is calling on the thoroughbred community and broader public to be part of history, with the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help bring this inaugural celebration to life.