By Daithi Harvey
Star Turn (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}–Golden Delicious {Aus}, by Made Of Gold), a high class sprinter for the training team of Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes has been retired from racing to take up stallion duties at Vinery Stud. The colt came to prominence as a 3-year-old he won the G3 San Domenico S. at Rosehill last August , following up that win with a defeat of Malaguerra (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}) in the G2 Schillaci S. at Caulfied in October. He has run some fine races in defeat this year including when beaten two short heads into third behind Terravista (Aus) (Captain Rio {GB}) in the G1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington in February, while he also gained top level placings in the G1 Coolmore Stud S., the G1 Newmarket H. and the G1 William Reid S. Paying tribute to Star Turn co-trainer John Hawkes said, “It's a stellar crop of three year-olds this season and Star Turn was a brilliant athlete with superb on-pace speed. He was 'push-button' and a real racehorse.”
Star Turn was bred by Widden Stud and was a A$400,000 yearling purchase by Alan Bell, who remains in the ownership group. He is bred for speed on both sides, with his dam, Golden Delicious being a 13-time winner, including five times at stakes level between 1000m and 1200m. Incidentally Golden Delicious is the dam of Hilton Head (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) whose son Eden Roc (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}) made A$900,000 at the Inglis Chairman's Sale on Thursday.
Star Turn has been in the cross hairs of Vinery Stud for quite a while and general manager Peter Orton commented, “We had been tracking him since his first win as an early 2-year-old at Randwick but it was his 3-year-old campaign that impressed us the most. He's the colt we rated of the current crop to stand at Vinery. He has pedigree, performance and physique, all essential qualities we look for in a stallion.” Star Turn retires to stud with a race record of 12-3-2-5, A$857,300.
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