Fifty Stars (IRE) On Track for Doncaster Mile

Mark Smith - Sunday March 17

A fortnight after capturing the Group II Blamey Stakes at Flemington, Victorian-trained Fifty Stars (IRE) travelled to Sydney for Saturday's Group II Ajax Stakes at Rosehill and took until the final few strides to keep his Doncaster Mile dreams alive.

After racing handy to the lead, the favourite looked in trouble when failing to respond to the urgings of Jye McNeil before seeming to pick up the bit over the last 100 metres to run out a neck winner over the rallying Mask Of Time with Dyslexic another short neck away in third. (images Steve Hart)

Advertisement


"My first winner in Sydney and no better way to do it," McNeil said. "Big thanks to Gerry Ryan the owner and Dean Lester who helps with my form. It's good to have the loyalty of the Hayes team.

"It's the first time he has been in the wet for a while although he was good in it earlier in his career.

"When they kicked he really floundered a bit but over the late stages he was really tough.

"I think he stays in Sydney and goes on a Doncaster path with a light weight and off that he has to be in the mix as a good lightweight chance. I can ride the weight so I will definitely be putting my hand up."

Formerly trained by Darren Weir, Fifty Stars (IRE) was having his third run for David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig.

"I was a bit worried at the 100m mark, but I think he just laboured a little bit but once he got his balance, he really found the line. It was a good effort, he's a colt, and he's building a good record," Dabernig said.

"He's naturally a fit horse and if he pulls up well we will look at going to the Doncaster for him. That would be the logical plan. Now that he is out to that distance range, he is building a really good record. He was there to be beaten today."

The 4yo entire was a 110,000 guineas purchase by bloodstock agent John Foote out of the Airlie Stud draft at the 2016 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

The son of the champion Sea The Stars is out of the unraced Sadler's Wells mare Swizzle Stick who is a half-sister to the Group II winner and Irish joint champion two-year-old filly of 2012, Viztoria (Oratorio).

Advertisment
More Reading...
Bates gets creative at The Valley
Six-year-old gelding The Creator led throughout to claim the Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Betting Handicap (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday under a perfect Logan Bates ride.
Cepheus Joins the Millionaires Club
While still processing the mind-boggling win of Gold Trip (FR) in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington, the Melbourne Cup hero led another successful day for European imports.
Sea The Stars Gelding Finding Australia Just Fine
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained import Just Fine (IRE) took a stranglehold on the $750,000 Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on September 30 with a dominant performance in Saturday’s Group III James Squire Kingston Town Stakes (2000m).
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Now Online
The strongest collection of sire power ever assembled for an Australian 2YO Sale will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.
Sea the Stars and Dettori Dominate Royal Ascot Day Three
Fresh from Group I success at Royal Ascot on the second day with Crystal Ocean, Galileo’s half-brother Sea the Stars was the dominating force on the third day with his champion stayer Stradivarius winning the Group I Royal Ascot Gold Cup for the second year in a row while his 3YO filly Star Catcher won the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes.
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Sea The Stars' Star Catcher Claims the Irish Oaks
Supplemented for Saturday’s Group 1 Irish Oaks at a cost of €40,000 after winning the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, Star Catcher kept the ball rolling for trainer John Gosden and jockey Frankie Dettori when making all the running at The Curragh.