News

O'Brien witnesses his new star in Coolmore

3rd Nov 2010

Racenet - Brad Waters - Saturday, 30 October 2010

Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien says exciting colt Star Witness could be an international straight-track specialist after the three-year-old’s outstanding win in the Group I Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

Star Witness won at Listed level down the “Straight Six” course in the autumn and maintained his unbeaten record on his home track after coming from just off the pace to record a clear win over the Peter Moody-trained Curtana.

The chestnut’s success atoned for O’Brien being forced to miss last month’s Caulfield Guineas after minor problems forced the trainer to miss the Group II Danehill Stakes in September.

“We have picked a target for him this spring and it is pretty important you get it right,” O’Brien said. “Obviously, he won the Group I as a two-year-old. We were patient, we left the (Caulfield) Guineas alone and set him for this race.

“There was a lot riding on today and to produce him in the way we have produced him today is very satisfying.”

SHOOTING STAR: Star Witness became a dual Group I winner at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart . The win was Star Witness’s second Group I win after the colt scrambled around the Caulfield course to win the Blue Diamond in February but O’Brien said the son of Starcraft would have a shot at a Group I sprint double in next Saturday’s Patinack Farm Classic.

“The whole program was around running him twice in Cup week provided that he justified it,” he said.

“Obviously, we are up against Hay List and Black Caviar but this is a pretty special colt. He’s only had seven starts, he’s won two Group Is. He’ll be right in the mix next Saturday.”

O’Brien looked further ahead than next Saturday after the trainer declared his intention to match Star Witness against the best sprinters in Australia in the autumn in races such as the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap at Flemington before a trip to Royal Ascot in the UK.

“Even though he won a Blue Diamond, he is a much better horse down the straight,” O’Brien said. “There are plenty of races for him in the autumn and perhaps a trip to Ascot for the sprints there.”

The Mark Kavanagh-trained Shrapnel endured a difficult passage before the half-brother to Wanted finished strongly for third. What they said – “What you see is what you get. I had to grab hold of him at the 300 metres because he was going to get there way too early and then he put them away when he used his turn of foot and the rest is history,” said winning jockey, James Winks.

“Nice run. I lacked a cart into it but she went great,” said Luke Nolen, jockey of the third placegetter, Curtana.

“Still very green but went good,” said Michael Rodd, jockey of the third placegetter, Shrapnel.

“Great run. He was under pressure a long way out but fought on really well,” said Hugh Bowman, jockey of Buffering (4th).

“She ran terrific, tried really hard,” said Jim Cassidy, jockey of Parriwi (5th).

“He just battled,” said Mark Zahra, jockey of Soul (6th).

“Her run was really good and she tried right to the wire but I felt today was the end of her spring,” said Craig Williams, jockey of Sistine Angel (6th).

“Hopeless,” said Corey Brown, jockey of Solar Charged (10th).