The Group 1 Railway Stakes heroine Galaxy Star rounded out a wonderful summer when capturing Saturday's $400,000 Ted Van Heemst Stakes (2100m) at Ascot.
After Galaxy Star's sister-in-blood Perfect Jewel cut out the early sectionals at a sedate pace, Damian Lane fired up Gatting at the 800 metres to hit the front as Willie Pike let it all unfold on Galaxy Star who tracked that pair in to the straight.
Under hard riding, Galaxy Star gradually drew a length and a quarter clear of the rallying Gatting with Perfect Jewel back in third. (photo Perth Racing Western Racepix ).
The Grant and Alana Williams-trained six-year-old Redoute's Choice mare advanced her record to 11 wins, 3 seconds and 1 third from 15 starts with earnings of $1,309,000.
That is remarkable considering Galaxy Star was not asked to tackle stakes company until her narrow second in the Group III Northerly Stakes at her first start this campaign.
Owner-breeder Bob Peters is a hard marker and was not convinced the winner was impressive enough to continue on to the Perth Cup.
"I think we will have to wait and see the weights. She carried two kgs less than Gatting and he was right next to us so it wasn't all that impressive to me.
"She seemed to be struggling on the corner although she won well.
"I don't think she was as impressive as she has been. In the Railway she sustained a run from the right corner. Today she was more tradesman-like I thought."
From one of the Peters most successful families, Galaxy Star is the is the second and final foal of Galaxy Queen whose death in January 2013 is looking more and more tragic.
Galaxy Queen (Jeune) was a sister to the stakes-winning Star Encounter who placed in the Group 1 WA Derby and Group III WA Oaks.
Star Encounter is the dam of Van Heemst Stakes third Perfect Jewel (Redoute's Choice) who won the Group II WA Guineas as well as Group II Perth Cup winner and Group 1 Doomben Cup runner-up Star Exhibit (Statue Of Liberty), who finished fifth in the Van Heemst Stakes, and the Listed winner Royal Star (Redoute's Choice).
