Star Turn’s consistent 3yo filly It’s My Turn made the most of a gun run under Liam Riordan to score an overdue win in the Plusvital Hcp (1000m) at Pakenham on Saturday.
Trained by Danny O’Brien, she camped right behind the leaders for Liam Riordan and then burst through a gap to defeat Beldivian (Vancouver) and Startide (Star Turn). It also increased her residual value since graduating for $140,000 out of the Vinery Stud consignment to the 2021 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
She is raced by a ladies syndicate and they’ve celebrated after both her wins. “The smiles are beaming,” O’Brien said after the filly broke her maiden. “She deserved that and it rewards their patience. She was placed five times in her first six starts!”
It’s My Turn (3f Star Turn – Bonded by Danewin) was bred by Vinery partner Alan Green (Echo Beach Bloodstock) and is a younger half-sister Afleet Esprit (Bel Esprit) who won the MRC Thousand Guineas Prelude (Gr.2, 1400m) and VRC Cap D’Antibes Stakes (LR, 1100m) at the 2014 Melbourne spring carnival.
Afleet Esprit’s colt by Written Tycoon was also part of the Vinery draft at the 2021 Magic Millions and he changed hands for $525,000 just a few hours before It’s My Turn on Day 1 at the Gold Coast. Named Merchant Prince, he won a Pakenham maiden before transferring to Hong Kong where he’s now trained by Jamie Richards for the Lucky Forever Syndicate.
In more good news for Star Turn, his 2022 Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara (1400m) winner Startantes is not far away from resuming training for a spring campaign after missing this year’s Brisbane winter carnival. She was never sighted last time out in the $775,000 The Archer (1300m) at Rockhampton in April.
“Startantes had a minor hind-leg surgery and is expected to make a full recovery,” trainer Rob Heathcote said last week. “She’s not easy to place being a Group 1 winner but there’s lots of races for mares in the spring at set weights and penalties so Sydney is an option.”
Startantes has Group 1 placings at Randwick to her credit in the 2021 Flight Stakes (1600m) and 2022 Surround Stakes (1400m) during previous visits to the Harbour City.
Heathcote has trained the winners of 12 Group 1 events with half of them supplied by Buffering. The Champion son of Vinery sire Mossman was voted Queensland Horse of the Year five times between 2012 and 2016.
Star Turn will stand at Vinery for a $27,500 (inc GST) service fee this year payable on a live foal. For bookings or further information, contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006)
This year’s Vinery Stud stallion parades will be on Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th of August, starting at 8:30am on both days. It is essential to RSVP if you are planning to come and see our six stallions, which is easy to do at this link: https://vinery.com.au/2023-vinery-stallion-parades/
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 02 6543 8333. We hope to see you there.