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Tara Madgwick - Saturday, 29 August 2009
They keep raising the bar and he keeps jumping it - three year-old Choisir colt Starspangledbanner continued his impressive rise through the ranks when scoring a dominant all the way win in the Group Three HDF McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
A powerful chestnut colt shaped in the image of his illustrious sire, Starspangledbanner was burdened with top weight of 58 kg and the extreme outside barrier 15 for this 1200 metre sprint, with neither proving an impediment to his brilliance.
He glided across after the jump and settled perfectly in the lead for Danny Nikolic, who allowed him to drift wide on straightening in search of the best going.
When challenged, Starspangledbanner pulled out plenty to draw clear and win from Tollesprit (Bel Esprit) by the best part of a length with Éclair Fastpass (Fastnet Rock) a further half length back in third place.
The Group One MRC Caulfield Guineas on October 10 has long been touted as a likely goal by his trainer Leon Corstens, with many pundits questioning the colt's ability to get a mile.
"Let's keep our fingers crossed on going further," said Corstens.
"He'll go to the Guineas Prelude next and I'm not worried about the 1400 metres around here, but the 1600 is a different kettle of fish.
"He does everything right at home and has the makings of a very nice horse."
A $120,000 purchase at the 2008 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Starspangledbanner was bred and offered for sae by Tony Santic's MAKYBE and has put together the tidy record of four wins and two placings from seven starts earning more than $400,000 for his large group of owners.
Starspangledbanner is the third foal of stakes-placed Gold Anthem, whose dam National Anthem is a half-sister to Group One AJC Australian Oaks winner Circles of Gold, renowned as the dam of champion racehorses Elvstroem and Haradasun.
Gold Anthem has a two year-old filly by Royal Academy (USA) that made $120,000 at Magic Millions earlier this year, a yearling filly by Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) and was covered last spring by MAKYBE's first season sire Purrealist.