Reliable Man’s daughter Star Shadow has delivered a compelling argument for a crack at a southern age group feature.
The Gerry Harvey-bred representative returned to top form at Riccarton on Saturday with her defeat of older opposition over 1600 metres.
“She has been mixing her form a little bit, but this could now lead into the Warstep Stakes, (Listed, 2000m),” said Sam Bergerson, who prepares the filly with Mark Walker.
The grey opened first leg of a winning Saturday double for Harvey with his colours later carried to victory at Trentham by French Doll and The Prophet rounded off a satisfying weekend when he won at Te Rapa on Sunday.
Star Shadow settled back of midfield and was strung up in traffic at the top of the straight before rider George Rooke angled into the clear 300 metres from home and finished powerfully to trump her Rating 65 rivals.
“She got into a sticky spot on the turn, but it was a good and patient ride by George,” Bergerson said.
The two-time winner was offered by Westbury Stud and was a $35,000 purchase for Te Akau’s David Ellis and Fortuna Racing at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
She is the last foal of the late Redoute’s Choice mare Scene Queen, who is the dam of five winners.
French Doll also won for the second time in her career when she weaved between runners for top honours for trainer Michael Breslin and rider Masa Hashizume in Rating 65 company over 1400 metres.
The homebred four-year-old is a daughter of Swiss Ace and the Belong To Me mare Princesse De Paris, a half-sister to the G1 Australian Oaks winner Royal Descent, who has since produced a sister to French Doll and a colt by Redwood.
The Cody Cole-trained The Prophet showed he is a horse to follow through his autumn preparation when he returned off a four-month break to win over 1600 metres for the son of Redwood’s third victory from eight starts.
He drifted well back in the running under jockey Michael McNab before unwinding strongly in the straight for a comfortable success.
The Prophet is the last foal of the late Conatus mare Telepathy, who also produced the Listed ATC Cup winner and multiple Group placegetter Telepathic.