Winner: Persian Star (Shot of Thunder-Persian Trifle)
Race: VRC Andrew Ramsden Stakes LR (3200m)
Sold for: $7,000
Sale: 2005 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale
Vendor: Hoofprints
Buyer: BK Taylor
Earnings: $336,446
Owner(s): PM Gangemi, W Garas, DJ Trussler, B Danaher, AS & JA Bongiorno, JJ Rothfield & Clay Hero P/L Synd (Mgr: RW Lanyon)
Trainer: Robert Smerdon (Caulfield)
Melbourne Cup dreams were hatched and history was made when Persian Star scored a brilliant win in the listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (3200m) at Flemington today.
The rejuvenated mare, who is prepared at Caulfield by Robert Smerdon, broke through for her biggest win and in the process gave her sire, the ill fated former Queenslander Shot of Thunder, his first stakes winner.
Sent out at $5 following an impressive win at the track last week, Persian Star came with a flying finish at the end of the two miler to reel in the favourite Ajhar and then front running stablemate Come on Cugat.
So quick was she finishing the winning margin was a widening length and three quarters.
While the win was impressive Smerdon isn’t getting carried away about the five-year-old being a Melbourne Cup contender just yet.
“I think there’s a fair few levels of difference between today and the other race.”
“She’s been an absolute revelation,” Smerdon commented. “Twelve months ago she went to Mildura a couple of times and got beaten.”
“But she’s really stepped up now with some time and a bit of ground,” he added.
“She’s had so much racing this preparation and even last week I thought we’d see how she handles the trip at this track.”
“This was never a plan – but it’s a hell of a bonus.”
Persian Star is yet another outstanding example of the value of purchasing from the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
She was purchased from the draft of Hoofprints for just $7,000 at the 2005 edition of the sale.
The rising staying talent has now earned over $336,000 and that figure looks set to rise over the coming months.
Persian Star’s sire Shot of Thunder was a high class galloper who made his name in Perth by winning six races including two at black type.
He scored a career high peak when he was transferred to the Eastern States to win the Group One Toorak Handicap at Caulfield in a thrilling finish.
From just 22 runners – Shot of Thunder has been represented by 19 winners.
His stakes winner Persian Star is a well related and now quite valuable broodmare prospect.
She is the sole winner to date for the Persian Heights mare Persian Trifle – a half sister to Ultra Fantasy – a winner of the Group Two Sprint Cup in Hong Kong and runner-up in a Group One Centenary Sprint.
Ultra Fantasy, by Encosta de Lago, kicked away its career in Melbourne and earned black type by running third in a listed event at Flemington.
Persian Trifle, the dam of Persian Star, is also a half sister to the dam of Precise Timing – an 18 time winner and earner of over $900,000 best known for success in a Group Three Launceston Cup and listed Toowoomba Cup.
Further back hers is also the family of international stakes winners English Trifle, British Bauble, Royal Palace, Lamington Vegas, Virgil Cain and Crystal Pistol.
