Adelaide Filly Funstar Goes Two for Two

Tara Madgwick - Saturday June 22
The first winner for Cox Plate hero Adelaide (IRE), exciting Chris Waller trained filly Funstar made it two wins in as many starts when scoring a narrow but impressive victory at Randwick on Saturday.




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 made a winning debut at Canterbury earlier this month.

Funstar - images Steve HartRidden by Jay Ford in this tougher 1200 metre assignment, she started favourite, but did not have an easy run from barrier one finding herself trapped on the fence.

Halfway down the straight, Funstar finally got clear running and hit the line hard to win by a half neck.

"When the draw came out, I thought barrier one could be the only sticking point and it was but she proved she was good enough to overcome it," Ford said.

"I had my first sit on her last week at trackwork and she gave me the feel of a very talented racehorse.

"I'm glad I got to experience a sit on her because when you get an idea what's under the bonnet it gives you the confidence to let the race unfold and not force the issue.

"It was a very slowly run race and I had a lap full of horse but I had to wait for something to happen.

"Fortunately, a little gap opened up back to the inside, she dragged me into it, darted through and really attacked the line.

"Even though the margin wasn't great, it was a dominant win I can assure you."

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, who will be hoping for similar success as her career unfold next season over longer journeys.

"She's so professional," Ford added. "A very bright future ahead.

"I haven't ridden two many two-year-olds that have the desire like she does to be a racehorse.

"The best is ahead of her, she's capable of going to another level when she gets out over ground."

AdelaideFunstar 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 a winner and two place-getters from just five 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.


Advertisment
More Reading...
War Machine Stakes Everest Claim - G2 Gilgai
David Hayes has a New Zealand-bred superstar heading into the A$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) in two weeks, where his sons Ben, Will and JD Hayes might line up against him with a Kiwi-bred Group One winner of their own.
Pedigree Watch – Juvenile Stakes-Winners
Three new season juvenile stakes races on Saturday produced a $1million yearling purchase that gave Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside the perfect start to his stud career, a pinhook winner turned stakes-winner and a colt foaled in Australia with a Kiwi pedigree.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
First Group I Winner for Cox Plate Hero Adelaide
The Group I ATC Flight Stakes at Randwick on Saturday proved a procession for exciting filly Funstar, a first crop daughter of Coolmore’s Cox Plate hero Adelaide (IRE).
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
Half a dozen juvenile heats at the Rosehill trials on Friday morning produced some interesting winners including the half-sister to last year’s Group I BRC Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar.
Briasa Wins $1million G2 Premiere Stakes- Everest Next
Twin Hills Stud’s Smart Missile will have a runner in the $20million The Everest and his explosive grey sprinter Briasa will be going into the race in top form following an exciting win at Randwick on Saturday in  the $1million Group I ATC Premiere Stakes (1200m).
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
Surprise Bart Cummings Victory Secures Valiant King Melbourne Cup Run
It’s not often you see a runner from the Chris Waller stable go around at 50/1 odds, but 6yo gelding Valiant King (GB) produced an outstanding effort to win Saturday’s $350,000 Group 3 VRC Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, securing himself a run in this year’s $10m Gr1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).