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Handle The Truth lands National Sprint Handicap
The Keith Dryden-trained Handle The Truth (5 g ex Assertively by Bernardini) proved too strong for his rivals when he landed the National Sprint Handicap (Listed, 1400m) at Canberra on Sunday and in so doing became the 17th stakes winner for the Widden Stud-based sire Star Witness (Starcraft).
Settled back in the field, Handle The Truth peeled wide in the straight and let down strongly, hitting the with 100 metres left to travel, before drawing a length and a half clear of Thy Kingdom Come (Lope De Vega). Peyton Place (Carlton House) was a further long-neck away in third.
Sunday's victory takes the gelding's career victories to nine from 26 starts, which includes a win in the 2019 Kosciuszko Stakes (1200m) and he has now earned $1,324,570 in career prize-money.
Dryden - who was winning the Listed race for the fifth time - said the gelding would now likely tackle the Star Kingdom Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) at Rosehill on March 27.
"It's been a race of mine," Dryden said.
"I think this could be the fifth time I've won it. It's a race I like to target.
"I've been happy with his work. I said to Nash (Rawiller), the only thing that will beat him is luck in the run. On his trackwork he can't get beat.
"He'll have to go to a Group 3 now," Dryden said.
"The Star Kingdom might be on the cards for him."
Bred by Laurel Oak Assertively Syndicate, who also retain co-ownership in the gelding, Handle The Truth is one of two winners out of the unplaced Bernardini (A.P. Indy) mare Assertively.
Further back this is the same pedigree as Group 3 winner Rose Ceremony (King Of Roses).
Star Witness was unlucky not to add to his stakes tally on Saturday, with Swift Witness finishing a close second behind Glistening (Zoustar) in the Reisling Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick, while Amish Boy was a close third in the Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) at Flemington.
The son of Starcraft (Soviet Star) is standing at Widden Stud's Hunter Valley base, but will relocate to Victoria for the 2021 breeding season, after Widden purchased the property early in the year.
Star Witness' progeny is headed by dual Group 1-winning mare Global Glamour.
