Better than Ready 2YO Isti Star Wins $1million MM National

Tara Madgwick - Friday May 23

Better than Ready is on track to be crowned Champion Queensland Sire for the third year in a row and put the icing on the cake when his brilliant two year-old filly Isti Star scored a dazzling win in the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic (1000m) at the Gold Coast on Friday evening.

Advertisement

Trained by Paul Shailer and ridden by Michael Rodd, Isti Star has show talent from day one and was one of the favourites in the $250,000 Magic Millions Debut last December when she finished unplaced.

Spelled immediately after that she returned with a fourth in the Listed BRC Calway Gal Stakes last month and then showed her true colours when bolting in at Ipswich to break her maiden by five lengths on May 10.

With race fitness, a good barrier and Michael Rodd on board, Isti Star found conditions to suit on Friday night and race don the pace before dashing clear to win by a length and a quarter over race favourite Prince Tycoon.

Isti Star was passed in shy of her $140,000 reserve when offered by Yarramalong Park at the Magic Millions and runs for Yarramalong and a big group of stable clients.

She has two wins from four starts and prizemoney topping $640,000 and her trainer believes this is just the beginning.

Isti Star was passed in as a yearling.

“I’m thrilled to bits. So proud of her because she's been through a lot, and obviously she was identified early on as a horse with immense talent, and we thought we could win Magic Millions 2YO (January), but it just went terribly wrong, and she's also suffered some allergies, and she was shin-sore, so we just had to put her aside and be patient,” said Paul Shailer.

“I'm very thankful to the ownership group who have been so patient with her.

“It hasn't been the ideal prep. We had to run her first up in the Calway Gale on a heavy track from an outside barrier as she needed that run with the view of being here tonight.

“Then she was brilliant at Ipswich and then tonight again, she proved that she's a real quality filly.

“She's versatile too . I think eventually she'll stretch out over seven furlongs plus. So we'll enjoy the night and go home and map out a plan for her, but she's an exciting horse.”

Isti Star was bred by Yarramalong and is the second winner from well related unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Istiraaha, a half-sister to Group I winner Rewaaya and to the dam of Group I winner Sense of Occasion.

She comes from the Asawir branch of the famed Easy Date family, so has the pedigree of a very commercial broodmare prospect for the future.

Istiraaha is married to Better Than Ready and has two more fillies to follow. Her yearling filly, a full sister to Isti Star, was sold by Yarramalong for $200,000 at Magic Millions this year to Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA)/Blacksoil Racing and she is back in foal to him again.

Better Than Ready is the sire of Isti Star.

Better than Ready will stand at Lyndhurst Stud this spring at a fee of $27,500.

Advertisment

Race Result - Magic Millions National 2yo Classic 1000m

Gold Coast Track: Soft(5) Time: 0:57.39
1
Isti Star
- 2f Better Than Ready (AUS) x Istiraaha (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: P L Shailer Rdr: M Rodd 55
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $200,000
Seller: Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld
Buyer: Gollan Racing/John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA)/Blacksoil Racing
2
1
Prince Tycoon
- 2g Written Tycoon (AUS) x Dongxing Princess (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: B Shinn 57
3
1.5
Secret Sort
- 2g Tassort (AUS) x Follonica (AUS) (Flying Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Donna Stanbridge Rdr: Angela Jones 57
4
1.6
Sisstainable
- 2f I Am Invincible (AUS) x Sisstar (AUS) (Zoustar (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: H Coffey 55
5
2.1
Dragonne Rouge
- 2f Dracarys (AUS) x Mondeuse (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: S A Dwyer Rdr: A Mallyon 55
6
2.9
Get Ready Lass
- 2f Better Than Ready (AUS) x Wonderful Lass (AUS) (Catbird (AUS))
Tnr: Chris Anderson Rdr: R Dolan 55
7
3
Guac On
- 2c Zousain (AUS) x Avocado (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: K M Schweida Rdr: N Callow 57
8
3.4
Financially Famous
- 2f Toronado (IRE) x Queen Of The Air (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: Louise White Rdr: Jaden Lloyd 55
9
3.6
Amosu
- 2f Invader (AUS) x Precipitate (AUS) (Masked Assassin (AUS))
Tnr: L F Birchley Rdr: Craig Williams 55
10
6.1
Mishani Extreme
- 2g Kobayashi (AUS) x Mishani Blossom (AUS) (Jet Spur (AUS))
Tnr: Donna Stanbridge Rdr: Emily Lang 57
11
7.6
Darn Hot Lady
- 2f Too Darn Hot (GB) x Lightfeet Lady (AUS) (Lion Heart (USA))
Tnr: Toby Edmonds & Stephen McLean Rdr: Rachel King 55
12
9.1
All Pink
- 2f Capitalist (AUS) x Metza (AUS) (Jet Spur (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Ethan Brown 55
More Reading...
Glorious Goodwood Day 3 – Flag Start Can’t Stop Wootton Bassett
The Group I Nassau Stakes (1m2f) for fillies and mares was the highlight on the third day of Glorious Goodwood and very nearly didn’t happen at all given the ‘biblical’ rain and a flag start for the five runners that braved the treacherous conditions.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 1
Here is the full list of 35 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Alma Vale Thoroughbreds Welcome First foal for Ozzmosis
The next chapter for Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis has officially begun with the arrival of his first foal. A bay colt out of the stakes-placed mare Cool Change (NZ) was born last night at Alma Vale Thoroughbreds, marking a significant milestone for the exciting son of Zoustar.
One to Watch – Kembla
The Myracehorse owners that braved the cold and damp conditions at Kembla on Friday were well rewarded when their Farnan gelding Ninja trotted up to win by a widening 11 lengths!
Yes Yes Yes Filly Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Passionate owner/ breeder Julia Ritchie is one of the key shareholders in Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, who recently relocated to Gooree Park Stud, and a filly she bred and sold called Mrs Goldberg collected a $100,000 Inglis Xtra bonus on Friday at Coffs Harbour.
Farnan Friday – Winning Double
Farnan sired 14 first crop winners last season to be leading first season sire by winners and his first two runners on Friday both came out and won at Kembla giving him the perfect start to a new racing year.
One to Watch – Cranbourne
Larneuk Stud’s value Lonhro sire Impending only just missed a century of winners last season and was quick to keep the momentum going with a promising debut winner at Cranbourne on Friday in the Laurel Oak Bloodstock colours.
Shooting to Win Relocating to Yarradale Stud
Yarradale Stud has purchased Group 1 racehorse and sire Shooting To Win to cover his first book at its Gidgegannup property this season.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for last season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end this season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Bountiful and Many Men to be Offered at Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale
The high-class pair BOUNTIFUL (Zoustar) and MANY MEN (Study of Man) have been catalogued for the Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale to be held in collaboration with Inglis Digital Australia on Wednesday 6th August to Thursday 7th August. Full details of the sale which will take place on the Tattersalls Online website are now available to view at www.tattersallsonline.com.