Star Turn has commenced his three-year-old season in the best possible way with victory in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday
The Team Hawkes-trained runner showed good ability as a two-year-old, running sixth behind Capitalist in the Group 1 Golden Slipper earlier in the year and has certainly come on as a three-year-old.
Returning a Timeform figure of 111 in the Golden Slipper, Star Turn who settle just off Tango Rain in the run, returned a Timeform figure of 116+ in the San Domenico and certainly looks to have more to come.
Star Turn is the highest rated winner of the race since Snitzerland in 2012 who ran to 117p and one pound above 2015 winner Japonisme who ran to 115+.
The Racing and Sports field strength value (RSFS) of 113.5 is slightly below the 2015 renewal of 114.8 although is well above par for a three-year-old Group 3 race.
Japonisme went on to run fourth in the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill and that looks the likely progression for Star Turn, taken out by Exosphere in 2015 who ran to 118p, beating Press Statement and Holler.
Star Turn looks to have enough improvement to run up to a similar level and looks set for a big spring campaign.
Of the beaten brigade, Tango Rain ran to a new career peak rating of 112, over a length away in second with Kentucky Miss also running to a new peak of 105 in third.
Both runners have shown enough to be competitive throughout the spring particularly Tango Rain who was coming off two solid wins.
2016 Golden Slipper winner Capitalist was unable to make his way into the placings, running fourth, beaten just over three lengths.
Capitalist ran to 114, well below his previous peak of 122 achieved in the Golden Slipper and like Vancouver in 2015 (also fourth) was unable to return a winner after winning the feature two-year-old race.
Whilst on face value, Capitalist was disappointing certainly wouldn’t be writing off the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained runner going forward this campaign.
Allergic was able to return to the winners circle when claiming a one and a half length win in the Premiers Cup Prelude (1800m).
Returning with a solid effort in Listed company over the 1500m, the John O’Shea-trained runner appreciated the step up in trip and found himself just off the leaders for much of the race.
The now five-year-old gelding returned a Timeform figure of 111, two pounds below his previous best achieved when runner up to Libran in Listed company over 2000m at Randwick earlier in the year.
Likely to step up in trip again, Allergic certainly has some improvement to come this campaign and the RSFS of 109.4 is above par for an open race and very similar to that of a listed race.
Of the beaten brigade, Loophole returned a Timeform figure of 103, four pounds below his placing the start prior at Canterbury with 60.5kg and Marenostro in third running to a new peak of 110.
One of the improving winners to come out of the meeting was Extensible who grabbed his third win and is yet to finish out of the placings from seven career outings.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained runner came from midfield to claim a handy victory over Labdien in second with Stilettoed Vixen in third.
Running to a new Timeform peak of 92, Extensible ran four pounds higher than her previous effort when third behind Harlem Lady over 1500m.
Despite being a five-year-old, Extensible has only had the seven outings and could line up in some stakes races during the spring should she continue to improve as she goes up in class.
Labdien in second showed good improvement from her first up effort when returning a Timeform figure of 88, her highest since running second in Group 3 company at Moonee Valley earlier in the year (96).
Proven in Group company previously he will certainly line in some stakes races this spring and still has improvement to come this campaign if he is to run near his previous best.
Whilst these two look the horses to take out of the race, Stilettoed Vixen in third returned a career peak Timeform figure of 80, six pounds above her previous best.
