Thousand Guineas An Option For Quezette Stakes Winner I Am A Star

The 2016 Thousand Guineas could be on the agenda for I Am A Star after she recorded an impressive victory in 2016 Quezette Stakes at Caulfield this afternoon.

I Am A Star stormed home late to take out the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield this afternoon. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

I Am A Star stormed home late to take out the Quezette Stakes at Caulfield this afternoon. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Jockey Steven King was forced to settle I Am A Star in the second half of the field after she drew a wide barrier, while Athena Lass took up the running.

Athena Lass kicked away at the top of the straight and looked like the winner at the 200 metre mark, but I Am A Star absolutely savaged the line along with Leotie and did enough on the line to take out the Quezette Stakes.

King admitted after the race that he did not expect to get as far back in the run on I Am A Star, but he was thrilled with the turn-of-foot she showed in the final stages of the race and is confident she still has plenty of upside.

“She is a really nice filly,” King said.

“As a two-year-old she was very sensible and she has come back in really good.

“It was a really good win today because I was probably three or four lengths back from where I wanted to be, but she showed she has a great will to win and she is very mature in the head.

“That certainly helps.

“We drew an awkward barrier and that was probably the only question mark.”

Trainer Shane Nichols said after the Quezette Stakes that he thought the wide barrier would cost I Am A Star in the Quezette Stakes and he didn’t think she would win the race until the final 20 metres.

Nichols revealed that his plan is to head to the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 3 with I Am A Star and will likely run her in the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on September 24 before deciding whether to run her in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) two weeks later.

“I thought halfway down the straight that she was going to run a nice race, but gee she found the line,” Nichols said.

“I thought if she could balance up and hit the line that some of these would be a little soft late and they would run along a bit.

“When we drew 16 it released all the pressure and I thought that we could ride her conservatively and we can go three weeks into the Atlantic Jewel, but she won.

“I’ve always thought that we would get to the 1400 metre lead-up to the Thousand Guineas and then we will assess where we go after that.

“Steve is fairly adamant that she will run a mile, but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

Leotie failed the line just as impressively as the winner and may have won the race if Chris Parnham had got going earlier, while Athena Lass toughed it out to finish third.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.