First Winner for Cox Plate Hero Adelaide

The subject of a Breednet 'Juvenile Trial Watch' story last month exciting Adelaide (IRE) filly Funstar put a smile on her trainer Chris Waller's face when she romped home to win as she pleased on debut at Canterbury on Wednesday.

A half-sister to last year's Group I BRC Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar, who is also trained by Waller, Funstar had shown plenty of promise in recent trials and went to the races well educated and ready to fire despite taking on a field of two and three year-olds in the 1250 metre maiden.

Ridden quietly from a wide gate, she angled to the outside turning for home and came with a late rush for Robbie Dolan to race away and win by more than three lengths in a dominant display as a hot favourite.

"She's a very smart filly and has shown that in her trials," said Waller.

"Being by Adelaide suggests distance won't be a problem and that's why we rode her back today.

"I'm tickled pink with her. She has such a bright future and the owners will have so much fun with her."

Funstar was purchased for $80,000 from the Bowness Stud draft at Inglis Easter by Anton Koolman Bloodstock, who also purchased Youngstar and has many of the same owners involved again.

She is a half-sister to not only Youngstar, but also stakes-placed Eleven Seconds and is from blue-blooded Danehill import Starspangled (IRE), a daughter of Champion 3YO Filly and five time Group I winner User Friendly. Starspangled was back at Coolmore last spring and is now in foal to Pierro.

Funstar is a top class prospect for her Cox Plate winning sire Adelaide, who has had just three first crop runners to date.

A brilliant son of the world's best sire Galileo, Adelaide stands at the modest fee of $11,000 at Coolmore this spring and has been well supported in his first four seasons covering over 400 mares.