Three-year-old Star Turn has justified his resounding favouritism to win the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield Racecourse this afternoon.
Star Turn was charged with carrying only 53kgs in the Schillaci Stakes, and the colt did his chances of a maiden win amongst open company no harm when jumping well and taking an ideal position in transit in behind Flamberge, Furnaces and The Monstar.
Pressed to the fore of the field rounding onto the final straight, jockey Craig Williams was a passenger as the son of Star Witness comfortably put away his rivals; finding the line several lengths ahead of Malaguerra and Fell Swoop.
Williams was pleased with the feel offered up by Star Turn in winning the Schillaci Stakes and believes the horse will only improve from the effort.
“He gave me a really good feel throughout,” Williams said.
“I spoke to Tommy Berry who has been riding him this preparation and he told me the ins and out of the horse.
“He delivered. The only horse that his beaten him this preparation is Astern, so how good is Astern I guess!
“I know they said that the race he was carrying was a huge advantage, but he still has to be a quality colt to handle it, and he handled them all this race.
“He had some really good horses chasing him home and he basically won it untouched.”
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes was pleased with Star Turn’s performance to win the Schillaci Stakes and confirmed that the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Derby Day will figure as his major campaign target.
“You don’t see three-year-olds take on the older horses and give them a good them a flogging,” Hawkes said.
“Malaguerra’s got the score on the board being a Group 1 winner, so for a three-year-old to take on the older horses is tough to do, and he gave them a short back and sides which was good.
“The three-year-olds of Sydney have been the better ones, other than Mick Price’s good horse that beat us the other night.
“This Star Turn form is all around Astern and Divine Prophet and they’re all mixed up in this together.”
Star Turn has posted three wins and as many minors through only eight career starts so far.
2016 Schillaci Stakes Results
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Starting Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 12 | STAR TURN | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Craig Williams | – | 7 | 53kg | $2.10F |
2 | 7 | MALAGUERRA | Peter Gelagotis | Ben Melham | 2.25L | 8 | 58.5kg | $17 |
3 | 5 | FELL SWOOP | Matthew Dale | Hugh Bowman | 3.25L | 6 | 58.5kg | $6 |
4 | 11 | OCEAN EMBERS | Shea Eden | Dwayne Dunn | 4.25L | 9 | 56.5kg | $8.50 |
5 | 6 | DOTHRAKI | Peter & Paul Snowden | Mark Zahra | 5.25L | 3 | 58.5kg | $17 |
6 | 9 | THE MONSTAR | Brett Cavanough | Brad Rawiller | 5.45L | 10 | 58.5kg | $151 |
7 | 4 | HUCKLEBUCK | Phillip Stokes | Dom Tourneur | 6.2L | 1 | 58.5kg | $15 |
8 | 2 | TURN ME LOOSE (NZ) | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Damien Oliver | 6.95L | 2 | 58.5kg | $18 |
9 | 1 | FLAMBERGE | Darren Weir | Damian Lane | 9.2L | 4 | 58.5kg | $9.50 |
10 | 8 | FURNACES | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 10.2L | 5 | 58.5kg | $15 |