Protest Promotion Boost For Postponed Yearling

A promotion from second to a black type first for up-and-coming sprinter Red Striker at Ellerslie on Boxing Day added timely value to his family.

A half-sister by Postponed is catalogued at Lot 1350 at the 2016 Karaka Festival Sale from Westbury Stud.

Stewards promoted Red Striker (Red Giant) to first in the Listed Hallmark Handicap at Ellerslie after Onlyarose (One Cool Cat) was first over the line.

The reversal meant trainer Jim Collett and his daughter Samantha won their first stakes race as a trainer-jockey partnership. Red Striker is also the second second stakes winner by Red Giant.

Red Striker's victory was her fourth and along with eight placings from 14 starts has earned $94,600 in stakes.

The race guaranteed the winner automatic entry in the G1 Railway Stakes (1200m) on New Year's Day but Collett indicated he will prepare Red Striker for the G3 Darley Plate (1200m) on March 5.

“She’s a special little horse with a big heart,” commented Collett. “We’ll have one race before the Darley Plate.”

Red Striker, bred and owned by Gerry Harvey, was passed in at the 2013 Festival Sale from the Westbury Stud draft.

Out of a winning Encosta de Lago mare, Red Striker is closely related to dual G1 winner Atomic Force (Danehill Dancer) whose G1 victories include the Railway Handicap.