Vinery stallions Star Turn, Press Statement and Headwater begin the next phase of their stud careers at the Inglis Broodmare & Weanling Sale on April 15.

There are 13 mares catalogued in foal to Star Turn while the first foals by Press Statement and Headwater will also parade at Riverside Stables.

STAR TURN (Star Witness) covered upwards of 150 mares in his first crop at Vinery following a superb sprinting career for Team Hawkes and owner Alan Bell.  He won at Randwick as an October 2yo and returned the following season to defeat Golden Slipper winner Capitalist in the San Domenico Stakes Gr.3.

Sent to Melbourne, Star Turn showed another brilliant burst of acceleration to defeat older horses at weight-for-age in the Schillaci Stakes Gr.2 at Caulfield.  He followed up with an unlucky third in the Coolmore Stud Stakes Gr.1 at Flemington.

When the dust had settled, John Hawkes put the result into perspective.  “Give us the winner’s run and we win, simple as that.  He’s a brilliant athlete capable of superb on-pace speed.”

Star Turn signed off with an autumn campaign against older horses highlighted by a brave third to Redkirk Warrior in the Newmarket Hcp Gr.1 at Flemington.  This season’s leading 3yo Colt Merchant Navy paralleled that performance in Redkirk Warrior’s second Newmarket earlier this month after a $30 million stud deal with Coolmore.

Among Vinery’s broodmare draft at Riverside Stables is Sunset Coast (Lot 465) in foal to Star Turn off an October 1 cover last year.  She is a Sydney winning half-sister to Vinery’s Group 1 graduate Shamus Award (W S Cox Plate & Australian Guineas).

Another Vinery entrant with a positive to Star Turn is Ashleigh (Lot 550).  She’s a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Danleigh (All-Aged Stakes, Manikato Stakes & George Ryder Stakes).

HEADWATER owns a speed-on-speed pedigree by Exceed And Excel from Oakleigh Plate Gr.1 winner River Dove.  He won a Silver Slipper Stakes Gr.2 and was equally potent at three downing Group 1 winner The Quarterback in the Kensington Stakes LR at Flemington.

Powerful and precocious, Headwater served 168 mares in his first book at Vinery and among them was Vintage Drop  (More Than Ready) who won at Sandown Hillside for Mick Price.  Their filly (Lot 99) is closely related to More Than Ready’s Brisbane stakes winner Cellargirl.

PRESS STATEMENT was the first son of Hinchinbrook to stand at stud and his first foals include a filly from Hollywood Park stakes winner Waveline (Lot 100).  She is a half-sister to Waimea Bay (All Too Hard) who has accepted for the South Pacific Classic LR at Randwick this Saturday.

Press Statement was the only colt of his generation to win at Group 1 level at two (J J Atkins Stakes) and three (Caulfield Guineas).  Trainer Chris Waller rated him a better juvenile than Zoustar & Brazen Beau.

STAR TURN