Is This Australia’s Most Overqualified Maiden?

It’s rare for a horse to have five starts without a win yet be hyped so much before its next run, especially when that run is at Group 3 level against a proven field.

Such is the story of Strike The Stars though that the Anthony Cummings trained racehorse shapes as one of the stories of the weekend.

He contests the Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill where he’ll have his first attempt at the 1800m.

He comes into the race after competing at weight for age company in the Chelmsford Stakes, an event where he performed valiantly crossing the line in third behind the likes of Trusting and My Kingdom Of Fife.

Cummings says he was more than satisfied with that run in open grade and says he’s perfectly suited coming back against the three year olds.

“His run was excellent and he did a good job to run third,” he said.

“The step up in distance is going to suit him…I think that weight for age form is going to stand up very good.

“He’s been looking for it, six or seven furlong races were way too short, the step to 2000m he takes next time is where he’s aiming and what he’s looking for.”

While we’ll have to wait until Saturday to see just what Strike The Stars offers, another of Cummings other promising gallopers Home On A Wing runs in the Newcastle Cup today.

He was a very unlucky seventh last start at Rosehill but Cummings says that is unlikely to repeat today around the wide and long Broadmeadow Racecourse

“He just got stuck in a  traffic jam and never saw daylight…I think he would have repeated the dose had he got clear (last start),” Cummings said.

“I think he’ll be there quite comfortably not far off the speed.”

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