Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Star Empire shines brightly

David Thiselton
The Dennis Drier-trained Star Empire won a tremendous race at Clairwood yesterday in the Listed Darley Arabian over 1 900m and proved himself one of the most improved horses in training. Raymond Danielson also showed once again his ice cool temperament aboard and has a bright future as a jockey.
Star Empire, a four-year-old gelding by Second Empire, was a late November 17 foal and came into his own at the end of the season just passed with a win in the Chapter Challenge final over 1 600m on June 12 followed by a facile 5,25 length win at Scottsville over 1 900m, his first attempt at beyond 1 700m.
Yesterday he came in for late support to start at odds of 5-1 after looking well in the pre-race parade and canter down. However, he still looked to have a tough task of reversing form with the Charles Laird-trained even money favourite Galileo’s Galaxy, who beat him 2,5 lengths when they last met and now had a 2,5kg swing at the weights. That race was over 1 600m, though, so Star Empire’s chances rested not only on how much he had improved but also on how much he preferred this distance. In the running Galileo’s Galaxy was handy and moved into the lead in the straight looking all over the winner. Meanwhile Star Empire was near the back and for most of the turn was caught behind Tamarillo who had come off the bit. Danielson remained cool and came to the outside once they had straightened at which point he began making up ground steadily.
Having made up a lot of ground to get within striking distance he then found another late kick in the final 100m to catch Galileo’s Galaxy on the line and win by 0,5 lengths after the latter had carved out what looked like a winning lead. Star Empire obviously loves this distance. The Colin Scott-trained Dance With Mikey was way out at the weights so did well to finish third, 4,5 lengths behind the leader and a head in front of the Mike de Kock-trained Top Mark.
The Craig Eudey-trained Tamarillo was off the bit early so did well to fight on in the straight and in the end he was finishing well for fifth, albeit well beaten. Star Empire was bred by SA Muller, FM Ratner and LM Salzman and is owned by MG Gramanie in partnership with Drier’s wife, Gill. In the other Listed feature at Clairwood, the Listed Umgeni Handicap over 1 000m, the Mike Bass-trained Gaultier gained a deserved success under Bernard Fayd’herbe, beating the consistent Herman Brown-trained Jinzo by a length with the Drier-trained Clearly Silver running a fine third after a slow start. Gaultier usually thrives in Durban and has been working up a storm all Champions Season in training at his Clairwood base. After a good winter pipe-opener at Clairwood he confounded the yard by not putting it in in his next three starts. However, he then bounced back with a fine second to J J The Jet Plane in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m before winning yesterday from a similar outside draw, which has been the better side to be on recently. He came from a handy position to power clear and win comfortably. Both Jinzo and Clearly Silver also came from outside draws and the latter can take a lot from his first run with blinkers as he did not get his usual good start, but ran on very well from behind. The Glen Kotzen-trained Cruso did well to finish fourth from draw one and the favourite, the Charles Laird-trained Blue Voyager was next best. Gaultier, a six-year-old Jallad gelding, is owned by KP Truter in partnership with Marsh Shirtliff and was bred by The Alchemy.

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