Derby Day in Flemington was a red letter day for Shane Nichols as his I Am A Star (NZ) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) gave the trainer a breakthrough Group 1 victory in the Myer Classic. The 3-year-old filly was also scoring at the top level for the first time having been second to Global Glamour (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}} in the G1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas three weeks ago. Jockey Dean Yendall was keen to get a prominent position early on as Whispering Brook (Aus) (Hinchinbrook {Aus}) set the early fractions. Euro Angel (NZ) (Rip Van Wnkle {Ire}) got quite fired up after three furlongs and swooped the outside of the field eventually slotting into a share of the lead just in front of the winner who was relaxed and in a lovely rhythm. Availing of his perfect trip throughout Yendall asked I Am A Star for her effort nearing the three hundred metre mark and she got to the front as the other leaders' early exertions took their toll. Despite a few late closers emerging from the pack I Am A Star had the race in safe keeping and she kept on strongly to beat the outsiders French Emotion (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}) and Denmagic (Aus) (Denman {Aus}) by a diminishing half length and a short head. Favourite Don't Doubt Mama (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) never threatened at any stage and finished a disappointing 12th of the 15 runners. “It's an enormous buzz, I'm not sure I can explain the feeling,” Shane Nichols told Racing.com. “She's such a mature filly and nothing bothers her, she eats, she's sound, she just goes about her work and if there's another horse getting stressed near her she doesn't care. To train your first Group 1 winner at Flemington during the carnival on Derby Day is something that you dream of,” he added.
MYER CLASSIC (Empire Rose S.)-G1, A$502,500, VRC, 10-29, 3yo/up, f/m, 1600mT, 1:35.56, gd.
1–&I AM A STAR (NZ) , 49.0, f, 3, by I Am Invincible (Aus)
1st Dam: Star Band, by Dixieland Band
2nd Dam: Spenderella (FR), by Common Grounds (GB)
3rd Dam: Salvora, by Spectacular Bid
(A$40,000 Ylg 2015 WI Classic Yearling Sale – Summer; NZ$12,000 Wlg 2014 NZB National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Sale) O-M B Sandblom; B-Eales Racing Pty Ltd, NZ; T-S P
Nichols; J-D Yendall; A$302,500. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-1, A$636,450. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: F.
2–French Emotion (Aus), 57.0, m, 5, Snitzel (Aus)–Love and Emotion (Aus), by Woodman. O-Mrs V L Klaric & I Cajkusic; B-Mrs V Klaric VIC; T-C J Waller; J-J Bowman; A$90,000.
3–Denmagic (Aus), 56.5, f, 4, Denman (Aus)–Magic Zefta (Aus),by Viscount (Aus). (A$60,000 Ylg 2014 MM National Yearling Sale) O-R Sergi, G Butterworth, Mrs W Chen, K Butterworth, B
D Bryant, Mrs L A Bryant, Five Moots (Mgr: R J Lucey), A R Castle, Mrs E Hannon, J Hannon, J T Hill, A Luck, R J Michael, Prof ; B-Bell River Thoroughbreds NSW; T-David Pfieffer;
J-Tommy Berry; A$45,000.
Margins: 0.4, 0.5, 0.8. Odds: 15/2, 30/1, 60/1.
Also Ran: Dixie Blossoms (Aus), Pure Pride (NZ) , Zanbagh (Aus), Pearls (Aus), First Seal (Aus), Danish Twist (Aus), Heavens Above (Aus), Serene Majesty (Aus), Don't Doubt Mamma (Aus), Whispering Brook (Aus), Euro Angel (NZ) , Rising Romance (NZ).
I Am A Star first came to prominence back in May when she landed the G3 Quayclean National S. at Morphetville off the back of her maiden victory at Flemington two weeks previously. She followed up in the same grade in the G3 Winslow Group S. at Caulfield Aug. 16 before seemingly having her limitations exposed in a pair of Group 2 events over six and seven furlongs at Randwick and Caulfield in September. However she improved for a step up to a mile when running dual Group 1 winner Global Glamour to a length in the Thousand Guineas before again failing to match that form when third in the G2 P.W. Glass Fillies Classic on softer ground at Moonee Valley Oct 22. She bounced back in no uncertain terms on Saturday and winning jockey Dean Yendall, who rode his first Group 1 winner on Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}) in the G1 Spring Champion S. three weeks ago commented, “She gave me a nice kick at the 400m and I thought with the light weight on her back hopefully she's going to be good enough to hang on which she thankfully was. I might sound a bit stupid here, but with the way she settled, I think she might make a nice little mare next season maybe in a race like the Caulfield Cup.”
Pedigree notes…
I Am A Star is one of three winners and the first stakes winner from the unraced mare Star Band (Dixieland Band) who has also bred the stakes-placed Band On The Run (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) from nine foals in total. Star Band is a half-sister to Common World (Spinning World) a Graded Stakes winner in Ireland and Germany. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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