Trainer Michael Kent will set Starmon for the G3 Matriarch Stakes at Flemington after the NZ bred mare’s Listed victory in the Cranbourne Cup last Sunday.

Starmon (5m Monolith – Starnui by Rancher) defeated her stablemate My Bentley (I Conquer) by a short neck at her third run back from a winter spell.  She had won two races at Te Rapa for Kiwi trainer Paul Duncan before crossing the Tasman this time last year.

“She’s been flying at home,” Kent said.  “Her last run at Caulfield was a good one and I was confident when she drew well.”

Starmon is by Gooree homebred Monolith (Danehill).  His stud career commenced in 2000 at Lakewood Stud in South Australia before a move to New Zealand.  

Monolith is a winning brother to Crowned Glory who had the 2000 Golden Slipper Stakes in the bag before Belle du Jour parachuted from the clouds above Rosehill.  Their dam Significant Moment (Bletchingly) is a half-sister to Zabeel!

Starmon is equally well-bred on the bottom half of her pedigree.  Her second dam Chalet Girl (Imposing) is from the Danewin – Commands branch of the Eight Carat family.

Starmon’s value will keep soaring is she can add Group 3 to her record on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.