Star Exhibit Primed For Queensland After Impressive Eastern States Debut
Resuming for new trainer Darren Weir, Star Exhibit ran on strongly to win the Thoroughbred Club Cup (registered as Anniversary Vase) (Listed, 1440m) highlighted by his excellent sectional times.
After beginning smartly, Star Exhibit settled in sixth place, one off the rails, before tracking up well nearing the home turn.
Brad Rawiller then brought him with a well-timed run to challenge at the 200 metre mark, before drawing away over the closing stages to win by three quarters of a length from Charmed Harmony (Hussonet) with Top Me Up (Exceed And Excel) a long neck away in third.
Racing on a Good 4 track, Star Exhibit ran the 1440 metre journey in 1:26.50 (12.01 200m rate), equivalent to 1400 metres in 1:24.09 but his aforementioned sectional times were the feature.
Star Exhibit was timed to run his last 1200 metres in 1:09.84, last 1000 metres in 58.07, last 800 metres in 46.06, last 600 metres in 34.29, with his final 400 metres in a fast 22.40.
A five-year-old gelding, Star Exhibit has been patiently handled, only racing 18 times to date with Saturday being his ninth win and his third at stakes level.
He now heads to Queensland with his main targets likely to be the Doomben Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) on 20 May and the Brisbane Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) at Eagle Farm on 10 June.
In the other feature on Saturday’s Caulfield card, the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained colt Kobayashi (I Am Invincible) also took the eye on the watch in winning the Thoroughbred Club Cup (registered as Redoute’s Choice Stakes) (Listed, 1200m).
Kobayashi was quickly away from barrier seven, went straight to the front and then settled well for apprentice Ben Thompson before grabbing a break on straightening.
He was not threatened from that point, going on to score by three lengths from the Ken Keys-trained colt Al Passem (Al Maher) with the highly regarded Doubt I’m Dreaming (Not A Single Doubt) a half-length further back in third.
Time for the 1200 metre journey on a Soft 5 track was 1:10.27, with Kobayashi producing some of the quickest closing sectional times of the meeting.
Kobayashi clocking 56.41 (last 1000 metres, 45.36 (last 800 metres), 33.73 (last 600 metres) with his final 400 metres in 21.90.
Co-trainer Troy Corstens later said that Kobayashi would be considered for a Queensland campaign but with the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and J J Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) being over distances longer than Saturday’s 1200 metre trip, that the colt may instead spell to focus on three-year-old sprinting features in the spring.
And while the third-placed Doubt I’m Dreaming raced below expectations after his impressive debut victory in the St Albans Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Moonee Valley on 24 March, the colt’s times indicate that his performance was still sound.
Doubt I’m Dreaming was clocked to run his last 1000 metres in 56.46, last 800 metres in 45.44, last 600 metres in 33.87 with his final 400 metres in 22.18.
Racing in Sydney on the weekend was the annual feature Hawkesbury meeting with the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained gelding Fabrizio (High Chaparral) taking out the Hawkesbury Gold Cup (Gr 3, 1600m) with a strong front-running performance.
Fabrizio held on strongly to win by a length from Moher (Lonhro) with Testashadow (Testa Rossa) a short half head away third.
Time on the Good 3 track was a fast 1:34.66 with the first 1000 metres clocking 1:00.37 (12.07 200m rate) with the final 600 metres in 34.29 (11.43 200m) rate.
It was Fabrizio’s eighth win, his second at stakes level, from only 14 starts to date.
Co-trainer Gai Waterhouse later added that Fabrizio was now likely to go to Queensland for the Chairman’s Handicap (Gr 3, 2000m) at Doomben on Saturday week.
Another stakes winner at the Hawkesbury meeting to impress on the watch was the former New Zealand-trained mare Shillelagh (Savabeel), now in the Chris Waller stable, who came from well back to win the Godolphin Crown (Gr 3, 1300m).
Having her fourth run this preparation, Shillelagh settled back in tenth place in the 13-horse field before running on strongly to score by three quarters of a length from the favourite Daysee Doom (Domesday) with Kinshachi (Commands) a length and a quarter away in third.
Time for the 1300 metre journey was 1:15.41 (11.60 200m rate), equivalent to 1400 metres in 1:21.21, with the final 600 metres in 33.14, which was clearly the fastest of any winner on the nine-race card.
It was the consistent Shillelagh’s sixth win, her first at stakes level, in 15 starts in a record that includes seven placings.
Racing in Brisbane on Saturday’s featured the Victory Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) which was taken out by the Bjorn Baker-trained sprinter Music Magnate (Written Tycoon) with an impressive first up front running victory.
Music Magnate won quite comfortably by a length and a quarter from Hopfgarten (Mossman) in a time of 1:13.27 on a Soft 7 Eagle Farm track.
The Racing And Sports Time Standard adjustment for the Victory Stakes was 0.58 seconds slow per 200 metres which equates to an overall time of 1:09.79 with the first 600 metres in 35.18 and the final 600 metres in a quick 34.61.
Music Magnate is now the winner of eight of his 17 starts and he looks set for another successful Queensland campaign where he will firstly look to retain his Doomben 10,000 (Gr 1, 1350m) crown on Saturday week.