Patience is a virtue and with young horses it’s a necessity! Great work by the team Malua Racing this one was a very sweet win 🏆🧡🖤🤍
Saturday at Wodonga Bennett Racing 3yo Zoustar gelding Starwisp finally delivered on the early potential he had shown in his trials.
A couple of average races as a 2yo colt dented the hopes and dreams of some but others held the faith he would eventually get it all together.
Starwisp is a big boy, he has long legs, a big frame and a huge stride. He fooled around and didn’t concentrate in trackwork re-enforcing he wasn’t mentally there. The ultimate gear change happened but it didn’t really change the big boy much. He needed to fill out, learn all about it and more importantly understand how to effectively use his legs correctly and get his stride right.
Resuming in February at Ballarat over 1100m after some good trials, Starwisp was left flat-footed when they sprinted but worked home well after being held up beaten 3.3L. It must be remembered that trials are generally not held under race speed so you don’t always know what to expect when they are let of the bridle!
Next up in February at Geelong over 1400m enjoyed a wide journey to be beaten 4L and followed that up with another 1400m run at Pakenham.
Bad barrier draws saw the gelding line up at the tight Kyneton track over 1200m 8th May, where he never saw daylight and was beaten a little over 3L.
Backing up and out to 1400m at Echuca on the 13th May saw the big bloke get it together and was beaten into 2nd after being carted right of the track in the run home.
Those who watched it they would have presumed, just as jockey Jack Hill assumed, a protest would go his way but alas it wasn’t to be.
At Wodonga on Saturday and out to 1590m Jack took all the bad luck out, sent him to the lead and in a well judged frontrunning ride led them a merry dance easing down to the line and winning impressively by 3L.
The back story to this is:
Firstly after talking with Troy we decided to school the gelding over some hurdles. Jumping horses gives them something else to think about and teaches them to use their stride correctly and most importantly to concentrate.
Secondly he is out of a mare that won a Gr3 Auraria Stks over 1800m as a 3yo filly then finished close up in a Gr1 Australian Oaks over 2000m.
Saturday at Wodonga Bennett Racing 3yo Zoustar gelding Starwisp finally delivered on the early potential he had shown in his trials.
A couple of average races as a 2yo colt dented the hopes and dreams of some but others held the faith he would eventually get it all together.
Starwisp is a big boy, he has long legs, a big frame and a huge stride. He fooled around and didn’t concentrate in trackwork re-enforcing he wasn’t mentally there. The ultimate gear change happened but it didn’t really change the big boy much. He needed to fill out, learn all about it and more importantly understand how to effectively use his legs correctly and get his stride right.
Resuming in February at Ballarat over 1100m after some good trials, Starwisp was left flat-footed when they sprinted but worked home well after being held up beaten 3.3L. It must be remembered that trials are generally not held under race speed so you don’t always know what to expect when they are let of the bridle!
Next up in February at Geelong over 1400m enjoyed a wide journey to be beaten 4L and followed that up with another 1400m run at Pakenham.
Bad barrier draws saw the gelding line up at the tight Kyneton track over 1200m 8th May, where he never saw daylight and was beaten a little over 3L.
Backing up and out to 1400m at Echuca on the 13th May saw the big bloke get it together and was beaten into 2nd after being carted right of the track in the run home.
Those who watched it they would have presumed, just as jockey Jack Hill assumed, a protest would go his way but alas it wasn’t to be.
At Wodonga on Saturday and out to 1590m Jack took all the bad luck out, sent him to the lead and in a well judged frontrunning ride led them a merry dance easing down to the line and winning impressively by 3L.
The back story to this is:
Firstly after talking with Troy we decided to school the gelding over some hurdles. Jumping horses gives them something else to think about and teaches them to use their stride correctly and most importantly to concentrate.
Secondly he is out of a mare that won a Gr3 Auraria Stks over 1800m as a 3yo filly then finished close up in a Gr1 Australian Oaks over 2000m.
As a 4yo she finished 2nd in a Gr2 Momentum Stks over 2000m at Flemington so clearly a mare who needed ground.
And lastly this is a horse who has taken time to understand how to use himself and get out to a distance his style of running and his pedigree suggested.
Thankyou to all the owners who held faith in the horse and to Malua Racing preservering with Starwisp and giving him the time to develop his racing style.
Sure it was a Saturday Maiden at Wodonga but if he continues to progress forward the way that has enabled him to win impressively today who knows where he could end up.
And lastly this is a horse who has taken time to understand how to use himself and get out to a distance his style of running and his pedigree suggested.
Thankyou to all the owners who held faith in the horse and to Malua Racing preservering with Starwisp and giving him the time to develop his racing style.
Sure it was a Saturday Maiden at Wodonga but if he continues to progress forward the way that has enabled him to win impressively today who knows where he could end up.
