Brilliant colt Star Turn looks set for a big Autumn Carnival campaign on the back of an impressive barrier trial win at Rosehill today.
Star Turn, above, was an impressive winner at the Rosehill barrier trials. Photo by Steve Hart.
Star Turn was making his first public appearance since running third behind Flying Artie and Astern in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on the first day of the four day 2016 Melbourne Cup Carnival.
At his previous start the Team Hawkes trained colt beat the older horses with a dominant display in winning the Group 2 $400,000 Mitsubishi Electric Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on October 8.
Christian Reith settled Star Turn in the second half of the six horse 900m trial and always had a good hold of the Star Witness three year old.
Reith let Star Turn come to the outside of the field in the home straight and when he released a little bit of rein, the colt powered over the top of his opposition to record a half length win over the Gerald Ryan trained Tango Rain.
Running home in third sport was Star Turn’s high profile stablemate Chautauqua who was doing his best work over the concluding for Dwayne Dunn who was still swinging hard against the big grey.
Chautauqua failed to fire during the 2016 Spring Carnival with two unplaced runs at Moonee Valley, a fourth to Extreme Choice in the Group 1 $500,000 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m) followed by a seventh to Rebel Dane in the Group 1 $1m Manikato Stakes (1200m).
But his form during the 2016 Autumn Carnival was outstanding and he gained the title as the best sprinter in the world following his second win in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick before he went to Hong Kong to win the Group 1 HK$10,000,000 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin in sensational style.
The two Hawkes trained sprinters could clash again in the upcoming Autumn Carnival with Chautauqua marked at $5 with Ladbrokes.com.au to win his third T J Smith Stakes on the first day of ‘The Championships’ while Star Turn is rated a $12 chance for the rich sprint.
Early market order for the T J Smith Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5 Chautauqua, $7 Astern, Spieth, $9 Flying Artie, $10 Extreme Choice, $12 Star Turn, $13 Black Heart Bart, $14 English, $15 Malaguerra, $16 Russian Revolution, $17 Terravista, Music Magnate $21 Counterattack, Japonisme, Lucky Hussler, Southern Legend, Takedown, $26 or better the rest.
