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Australian Racing News
Saturday, March 25 2017

New Zealand-bred three-year-old filly I Am A Star dominated her older rivals in Friday night's Gr.2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley prompting trainer Shane Nichols to consider a trip to Sydney for the $A3 million Gr.1 Doncaster, which will be run at Randwick next Saturday, April 1.

I Am A Star wins the Gr.2 Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley - Darryl Sherer

"All I want it to do is stop raining in Sydney," Nichols said.

"We might go to the Doncaster after that win, and we'll give good consideration to the Coolmore Legacy but we just want it to be no worse than soft. We don't want it heavy."

Jockey Dean Yendall was positive from a wide barrier and while the Gr. 1 Myer Classic winner worked for the first 400m, he was able to dictate proceedings once he found the fence in front and ramped up proceedings from the 500m.

At the line the $2.25 favourite held a 3.25-length margin over French Emotion with another Sydney-trained mare, First Seal three quarters of a length away third.

"Once she was left alone, I thought it was going to take a fair horse to run her down," Nichols said.

"She put a decisive margin on a really good group of mares. It was an outstanding performance by a very, very, very good filly."

The Sunline Stakes success was I Am A Star's second-straight Group Two win, following Kewney Stakes success at Flemington on March 11, and took her career record to six wins from 13 starts with earnings of $924,450.

By I Am Invicible out of the Dixieland Band mare Star Band, I Am A Star was bred by Laurence Eales. She was offered by Rich Hill Stud at the 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka, where the Llanhennock Trust bought her for $12,000.

I Am A Star also has another connection to the Karaka sales complex. Her dam Star Band also went through the 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, selling to Long time Hallmark Stud client Christine Wilkinson and her husband Craig Gray for just $2,000.

Posted by: AAP AT 03:01 am   |  Permalink   |  Email
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