Saturday summary: Startantes hands Heathcote a day to savour with Tattersall's Tiara win

Cover image courtesy of Michael McInally

Startantes stars at Eagle Farm

Despite having not saluted the judge since last September, the Robert Heathcote-trained filly had advertised her talents with some good performances, including when finishing third in the G1 Flight S. last October, while the 3-year-old was narrowly denied her first Group 1 when she finished second in the G1 Surround S. earlier in the year.

However on Saturday, Startantes proved she was a bona fide elite-level winner when she became the first 3-year-old since Cosmic Endeavour (Northern Meteor) to take out the time-honoured Queensland Group 1, defeating last-start G1 Robert Sangster S. winner Snapdancer (Choisir) by 0.5l. Palaisipan (So You Think {NZ}) was another 1.2l away in third.

Heathcote - who also bred the filly - could not contain his excitement in the post-race celebrations.

“The very special little pumpkin. We’ve know she was special for a long way through and she went that close in the Surround in Sydney, she had no luck. We made a big call taking Taylor off and putting Jason on but he was last coming into the straight, kept his cool and ran right through them. She’s probably worth a few bob now, aye?,” said the delighted trainer.

“She’ll go to the paddock for sure. I was going to take her to Melbourne for the spring but I’ll need to re-evaluate that now because she hasn’t had a break now for literally two preparations.

“I am so pleased for the ownership group. We had the mum - Funtantes, I had her mum - Cantantes, it has been a part of my life for 23-24 years. This ownership group has been with me the whole way. My staff have done a fantastic job and of course, Jason Collett - thank you mate.”

Heathcote has had a long association with Startantes’ family having bred and sent out her dam Funtantes (Easy Rocking) to 10 triumphs, headed by a victory in the G2 BTC Champagne Classic and the filly is one of three winners produced by the mare.

The trainer was also responsible for the career of Funtantes’ dam, Cantantes (Just Awesome), who won two races, while he also saddled her other stakes winner, Excellantes (Falvelon), to 12 career wins, headed by five victories at Listed level.

In 2020, Funtantes produced a colt by Eureka Stud’s resident sire Spirit Of Boom, before foaling a filly by Rothesay the following year and she has most recently been covered by Star Turn again.

In winning the race, Startantes becomes the first Group 1 winner for Star Turn and also the fifth overall stakes winner for the Vinery Stud stallion, who will stand the 2022 season for an increased fee of $27,500 (inc GST), having stood last season for $16,500 (inc GST).

Valuable Group win for Juan Diva

The Richard and Will Freedman-trained Juan Diva (Snitzel) added a value Group race to her CV when she took out the G3 WJ Healy S. at Eagle Farm and in the process also handed her Arrowfield Stud-based sire Snitzel with his 123rd stakes winner.

The 5-year-old mare came into the race of the back of fourth-placed efforts at Listed level and she finally got her head in front when it mattered, with a 0.8l win over Prime Candidate (Denman), while Ranges (Shooting To Win) was a further 0.2l away in third.

Brian Smith, stable representative for the Freedmans, said the Group 3 victory was just rewards for the mare’s past efforts.

“What a lovely filly. She’s had a bit of bad luck with bad draws but she was down in weight today (Saturday),” said Smith.

“She was meant to run at Ipswich last week but they had the guts to pull her out when the track was so bad. That takes a lot of doing but they got their reward today.

“The thing that is so great, Trelawney Stud, they own her in New Zealand and they’re great friends of mine and they are Freedman boys. I’ve got to thank them for trusting me with these horses. I’m very proud to be able to win one for them today (Saturday).”

Bred by John Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds, Juan Diva was passed in at the 2018 edition of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where she was offered by Segenhoe Stud and she is now owned by New Zealand outfit Trelawney Stud.

Juan Diva is out of the Listed-winning Husson (Arg) mare Peron and she is herself a half-sister to Listed-winning pair Gai’s Choice (General Nediym) and Atmospherical (Northern Meteor).

In 2020 Peron produced a filly by Coolmore Stud shuttler Justify (USA), while the following year she produced a brother to Juan Diva.

Snitzel has sired 176 individual winners this season, while Juan Diva becomes the stallion’s 19th stakes winner and they are spearheaded by Group 1-winning trio Yearning, In The Congo and Wild Ruler and he will stand the upcoming breeding season for a fee of $220,000 (inc GST).

Drop in class brings out the best in Tyresa

Kelly Schweida’s decision to drop Tyresa (Written Tycoon) back in class reaped healthy rewards for the trainer, as the filly bounded away from her rivals to win the Listed Tattersall’s Life Members S. at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Last seen finishing ninth in the G1 JJ Atkins S., Tyresa emerged impressively out of the pack to beat Honey Pot (Spirit Of Boom) by a comfortable 2.5l, while Kamitori (Divine Prophet) was another 0.2l away in third.

“All her runs have been really good. In the Group 1 the other day Larry thought she should have gone closer to getting beaten two lengths in a Group 1 when she only got beaten (by) three was probably form for this sort of race.

“We really freshened her up. Black type is so important. She’s a three-quarter sister to Capitalist.

“I thought she was over the odds. A really good bunch of owners in this horse.”

Schweida confirmed the filly would now head for a much-deserved spell.

“She’s been in for a long time. This is her first prep, really. We tricked with 10 days (between runs) but she’ll go for a break. But winning black type is gold for these fillies.”

Schweida picked up Tyresa for $90,000 from the Newgate Farm draft at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and she is out of the unraced Real Saga mare Stresa, making Tyresa a three-quarter sister to Stresa’s Group 1-winning half-brother, Newgate’s resident sire Capitalist.

Darby Racing parted with $180,000 for Tyresa’s sister at this year’s edition of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. The filly has been named Queen Of The Mile and is currently in training with Gary Portelli.

A change proves as good as a rest for Tilianam

A change is as good as a break; and 3-year-old filly Tilianam (NZ) (Savabeel) proved this theory to be true when she provided her new ownership group with a quick return on their recent investment when she landed the 3YO Fillies Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The daughter of Savabeel was purchased by Newgate Farm for $625,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast last month and she was immediately transferred from Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s stable to Tony Gollan’s Gold Coast residence.

A winner of the Listed Lonhro Plate as a juvenile, Tilianam had not saluted the judge since that victory last February, but she stormed back into form on Saturday when defeating Rhapsody Rose (Star Witness) by a 1l, while the winner's stablemate Putontheredlight (Star Witness) was another 0.5l away in third.

“She went through the Magic Millions Sale and Henry Field bought her and sent her up to us and allowed us to set her for this race,” a delighted Gollan said after the race.

“I was a bit concerned as she had a very deep preparation at Gai and Adrian’s and it could have gone one of two ways today, either very good or very bad and thankfully it’s gone very good.

“She’s a lovely filly with plenty of upside and we’re privileged to have her. I’m sure she can do a great job and with a bit of luck we’ll race her on for another season.”

Tilianam was originally purchased by Waterhouse and Bott for NZ$270,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale and she is out of stakes-placed mare Spending (NZ), herself a daughter of Group 3 scorer Splashing Out (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).

Tilianam is a three-quarter sister to Splashing Out’s Group 2-winning son Splurge (NZ) (Savabeel) and he is a half-brother to fellow Group 2 scorer Shopaholic (NZ) (Pins) and Packing Pins (NZ) (Pins), whose best victory came at Group 3 level. Further back this is the same family as multiple Group 1 winner and ill-fated sire Sacred Falls (NZ).

First winner for Widden’s Thronum

Widden Victoria’s first-season sire Thronum chalked up his first winner when his son Thron Bone landed the Neds Punters Toolbox H. at Caulfield on Saturday.

Trained by Jerome Hunter, Thron Bone finished fourth in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) on debut in January, before finishing third on his second start at Sandown-Hillside in June and he finally got his head in front when he defeated last-start winner Ghaanati (Deep Impact {Jpn}) by 0.8l. Hoofs Don't Lie (Shalaa {Ire}) was another 1.5l back in third.

“He showed a lot of promise in the autumn and he was just a bit too immature so I gave him a little break and I thought we’ll try and get a race in the winter time and it's paid off,” Hunter said.

“The best part is he’s still got a lot more to learn, he had his head up and still raced a bit green. Once the penny drops, I think we’ve got quite a nice horse.

“I always knew he had ability, it's just maturity-wise we’ll see how he copes when he gets home.”

Thron Bone was purchased by Rich River Meat Exports for $200,000 at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, making him the most expensive yearling sold by the sire.

The gelding is out of the four-time winner Thorsborne (Hinchinbrook) and she is herself a sister to Group 2 winner Diamond Tathagata, the dam of dual Listed winner Ancestry (The Brothers War).

Thorsborne’s 2020 colt by Palentino was purchased by Hyam Racing and Cameron Cooke Bloodstock for $5000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale earlier this year, while her 2021 filly by Fiorente (Ire) was snapped up by G Gathercole for $8000 at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale earlier this month.

Thronum will stand the upcoming breeding season for a fee of $7700 (inc GST).