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Prime Star captures the $2million Inglis Millennium on Wednesday.
The Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Prime Star (2 g ex Barinka by Shinko King) stayed on bravely to land the lucrative $2m Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) at Warwick Farm on Wednesday and in the process became stakes winner number 12 for Rosemont Stud-based stallion Starspangledbanner (Choisir).
The weather meant the meeting was moved from Saturday to Wednesday and that saw co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace scratched Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) favourite Cellsabeel (Hinchinbrook), who will now head to the Silver Slipper Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) at Rosehill on February 22.
Having the fourth start of her career, Prime Star ran down a brave Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) by a half-neck with Larimer Street (Brazen Beau) another three-quarters of a length away in third.
"For a $55,000 purchase last year, it's just a big thrill for Richard and I and all the team back at home," Michael Freedman said.
"We will have to rethink what we do with him from here. If he comes through today OK we will certainly look at some of the upcoming two-year-old races.
"He's probably still a long way off getting into a Slipper or anything like that but there are lots of races for two-year-olds outside the Slipper."
Purchased by China Horse Club and his co-trainer Michael Freedman for $55,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from the Fairview Park Stud draft, the gelding is out of New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Barinka (Shinko King) and Prime Star becomes her fourth winner and first stakes winner.
Further back this is family of Group 2 winner Tawlord (Tawfiq) and Listed-winning pair Ferrous Cardio (Amyntor) and Sitarist (Road To Rock).
Barinka was purchased by Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) and Ausbred for $130,000 at the Inglis Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale in 2016 from the Bell View Park dispersal. In 2018 she foaled a Kermadec (Teofilo) filly, who was sold to Maluka Thoroughbreds for $50,000 at the Inglis Weanling and Broodmare Sale in 2019, and she will be offered as Lot 43 at the upcoming Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, which gets underway on March 1.
Most recently the mare has produced a filly by Deep Field (Northern Meteor) and has since been served by Arrowfield Stud-based sire Dundeel (High Chaparral).
Fairview Park Stud sold 13 yearlings for an aggregate of $1,208,000 at this week's Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and finished with an average of $92,923.
Starspangledbanner has five yearlings catalogued at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, while he has one colt set to go through the ring at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
