Sydney Shorts: Vinery Stud snaps up Star Turn as latest stallion prospect

Star Turn is the latest of the stellar crop of three-year-olds to find a home beyond the racetrack, with Vinery Stud buying into the group 1 placegetter. The Hunter Valley stud will race the Star Witness colt in partnership with owner Alan Bell, who retains an interest, as he looks for a group 1 victory. "We have been tracking Star Turn since he was an early two-year-old. He was the one colt we wanted of the current crop to stand at Vinery when he retired," stud boss Peter Orton said. "Star Turn has the pedigree, performance and the physique essential we look for in a stallion to add to the success of our broodmares and the future of the farm. He was an exceptional type as a yearling: strong, mature and sound. Star Turn's precocity, turn of foot and brilliance showed all the crucial attributes of a stallion prospect in what has proven to be one of those rare years of high-quality sprinting colts, often racing against each other, all taking their turns to dominate." After winning as a two-year-old, Star Turn beat Golden Slipper winner Capitalist at his first start as a three-year-old in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill and accounted for the older horses in the Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield. That he beat subsequent Darley Classic winner Malaguerra and Fell Swoop, who placed at group 1 level at his next two starts, is another glowing endorsement. He led in the Coolmore Stud Stakes before holding on for third. Team Hawkes will target the Melbourne autumn sprints before a possible overseas campaign including Royal Ascot. "He is a brilliant colt and an exceptional athlete," co-trainer John Hawkes said. "He has superb on-pace speed and his natural development and progression would suggest he is in for an exciting campaign ahead."

Weighty matters

Lightweight jockeys will receive more opportunities and horses won't have to lump big weights as often after Racing NSW tinkered with its controversial handicapping policy. An eight kilogram spread will be introduced for all metropolitan races with the minimum weight dropped to 53 kilogram, but more importantly there will be a reduction in imposts if no horse is on the limit weight. Previously the handicapping scale had seen examples of a topweight carrying 61 kilogram and those on the limit at 58 kilogram, but that will be reduced as the lowest-weighted horse in any race will now carry 53 kilogram for non-feature races. "There is no doubt that the greater spread of weights has worked in improving field sizes and the increase to a possible eight kilogram spread will provide even greater opportunity for competitive racing in the metropolitan area compared to the previously compressed weight scale," Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said.

Replay

Bachman in tune

Gerald Ryan thought Bachman should have won last year's Magic Millions Cup and there is a similar feel about his preparation this time as he heads to the December Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday. "His last run showed he was ready to step to 1400 metres," Ryan said. "It's going to be a nicely run race on Saturday and he's well weighted." But perhaps not as much so as stablemate Dances On Stars, who hasn't won since May 2014 but shoulders just 53.5 kilograms after James Innes jnr's claim. "He's coming back to 1400 [metres] after running 1500 [metres] the other day, but what he's going to appreciate is no weight on his back."

All Heart

Canny Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker reckons Heartlings has "put the writing on the wall" as she shoots for a first Saturday metropolitan win. The four-year-old mare chased home Girl Sunday at her last start and is hard in the market in the Rosehill sixth. "Her two runs back have been terrific," Parker said. "She's put the writing on the wall that she's closer to a win and she probably just needs a bit of luck in running. She has won at Rosehill over 1500 [metres] as a two-year-old. It would definitely be a merry Christmas [if she could win again]."