3 minute read
Stakes-placed Astrologer finally gets his head in front at Canterbury.
Vinery Stud-based first-season sire Star Turn's (Star Witness) flurry of recent winners has kept him in the hunt to be crowned Australian's champion first-season sire by number of winners and he added to that tally on Wednesday as the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Astrologer (2 c ex Fast 'n' Witty by Fastnet Rock) chalked up his first win on his fifth attempt when taking out a 1200 metre race at Canterbury to provide the stallion with his tenth first-crop winner in Australia, while his total also includes a winner in Hong Kong.
Raced by James Harron Bloodstock, the colt finished third in the Breeders' Plate (Gr 3, 1000m) on debut in October and he finally for his head in front when beating Overman (Hinchinbrook) by half a length, while Bartoselli (Dissident) was another four lengths further back in third.
"It was a well-judged ride by Tommy [Berry, jockey]," Paul Snowden said.
"When the rain came, it gave us a good deal of confidence. His Wyong Magic Millions run wasn't that bad on a wet track; he just got too far back on that occasion.
"He has taken a bit of time to get his maiden out of the way, but he can certainly go on with it."
Harron purchased the colt for $300,000 at the 2020 edition of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Edinglassie Thoroughbreds draft and he is the third winner out of unraced Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Fast 'n' Witty, who was herself purchased by Boomer Bloodstock for $50,000 from the Bhima Thoroughbreds draft at the 2018 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale when carrying Astrologer in utero.
Fast 'N' Witty's three winners are headed by Listed-placed Deep Speed, while the mare herself is out of Listed winner Crystal Wit (Distorted Humor), making her a half-sister to Group 3 scorer Crystal Dreamer (Stratum).
Meanwhile, Fast 'n' Witty is a sister to stakes-placed mare Fast Talker, who is herself the dam of Listed-winning duo Persuader (Zoustar) and The Actuary (Sebring).
Further back, the colt's third dam is Crystal Snip (Snippets) and she in turn produced 2010 Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Crystal Lily (Stratum) and Listed-winning pair Amaethon (Al Maher) and Crystal Web (Hard Spun), while she is also the Group 2 scorer Carrara (Elvstroem).
Star Turn has enjoyed a brilliant seven days, siring a further three winners in Australia headed by Saturday's Listed winner Miss Hipstar, while the stallion was also provided with his first winner in Hong Kong when Cordyceps Six landed a 1000 metre contest at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Star Turn's first-season progeny also includes stakes-placed dup Stellar Magic and Pegasi and he will stand the 2021 season for an unchanged fee of $16,500 (inc GST).
