Racehorse TALK

First Winner for Starcraft
Tara Madgwick - Thursday, 14 May 2009

In Australia, the progeny of champion miler Starcraft are yet to turn two, but in the UK they are out and running with his very first starter Don't Tell Mary winning on debut at Bath on Wednesday.

Sent out second favourite, the Tom Dascombe trained filly shadowed the leader and then skipped clear to win the five furlong maiden by three and a quarter lengths.

A 32,000 guinea purchase from the Doncaster Sales, Don’t Tell Mary is a half-sister to Group Two placed Cape Fear being from the Polar Falcon mare Only in Dreams.

Winner of the Group One AJC Australian Derby, Starcraft (pictured left) campaigned with great success in Europe claiming Group One victories in the Prix du Moulin in France and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Newmarket in England.

As a result of those efforts, the son of Soviet Star started his stud career in 2006 in the Northern Hemisphere at Cheveley Park where he covered 105 mares at a fee of 10,000 pounds.

He was scheduled to continue shuttling, but was injured the following year in 2007 and has not been back to the Northern Hemisphere since.

Starcraft had 49 yearlings sell in Australasia this year at the Majors for an average $109,929, his top seller a filly from champion mare Private Steer that made $450,000.

Arrowfield Stud has reduced his fee for this spring to $22,000.

he was a tough horse,he can thank d.beasley for his derby win though,beasley rode braeloch,i think its name was,i got matched for i think $18.00 at 400s on betfair,and similar amounts at 380s,and 350s,it leads and walks,with no pressure,at the 1000,beasley turns the pace on from there,starcraft pips him right on the line,when they interviewed beasley,he said he thought he would make it a staying test for the last 1000 ffs,i couldn't believe it,the easier you get it in front the better,ps nothing put pressure on him to make him pick up the tempo either,think i got about 80 bucks on at about 60s the place in the race,approx 30k result for peanuts

I have read you saying this a few times now, i think you have it wrong.

If a jockey is on a one paced stayer or a superior stayer, he is much better off trying to get the others off the bit and struggling than playing into the faster horses chances by keeping a slower "easier" pace.

Unfortunately that link will not take you to the video, but you can watch it at Best Bets if ya sign in and look for Starcraft. 

https://www.bestbets.com.au/web/

he was leading on his ear authorized,so he had more pace than the rest anyway,ps,i only backed him because i thought he would lead,and i saw no pace in the race,beasley gassed him,by going at the 1000m,ps,when i'm on a horse off the speed,the last thing i want is to watch the leader get a picnic in front.
go and watch the ormonde stakes that was run at chester(UK) the other night,field of 3,it was farcically run early,to the point they were only cantering,youngest jock in the race,takes outsider to lead,now even as slow as they were going,he didn;t start to turn it on,until past the 800,he bolted in,the odds on pop was 3rd all the way,and left in the leaders wake

That race ( and Old Larsy will testify my comments here ) was indicative of either a poor ride from Murtagh for not forcing the issue and making it a proper staying test or Murtagh was instructed to just give his mount a run.

The two races are hardly worthy of comparing front running tactics, The Ormonde turned into a 1000m sprint nothing more nothing less. I will bet my left testicals that Murtaghs mount whos name excpaed my at this moment is much the superior stayer. The sprinter ( of the 3 ) won the race.

Braeloch was never considered a faster horse than Starcraft, the fact he was in front of him is neither here nor there, if the pace had have been slower for longer, Starcraft would have sprinted faster than he did that day, as it was Beasley made Starcraft stay the 2400m better.

You would have been hoping and assuming that Braeloch off a slower lead would have had a turn of foot when the pressure eventually would have came on. My contention is that if he had have kept it at a slower pace, those better, faster horses, those less able to stay the 2400m would have given him wind burn in the straight.

As it was, because Beasley did what he did, he took the doubtful stayers out of the race.

Just further to the Ormonde, the youngest jockey new full well he was better off making it a pure sit and sprint, if he made it a proper staying test it would have played right into Murtaghs hands.

we read races differently,viva le difference

exactly,the slower he went for the longer he could,made him unbeatable,like braeloch would've been,if beasley waits till the 600,he ran the 2400 out after taking off 1000m out,if he waits longer,he runs a faster last 600,the ones behind have to run even faster again,ps braeloch was also an on pace horse,also starcraft didn't go at the 1000,he started his run at the 600

I can see your point, can you see mine ?

Are you sure Braeloch would have had a turn of foot good enough to stave off Starcraft off a slower lead ?

I am not so sure.

I hope you backed him eachway ?

I watched the race at Belmont Golf Club that day, what a shocker of a day I had.
I met a chick blind who i'd met online.     
ps I didn't drive all the way up there especially to meet her, I was staying at my brothers place at Lake Macquarie at the time.

Douro Valley is a case in point, you ask his connections and his jockey James Winks, he will tell you they are much better off going at the 1000m point than saving him for one last sprint at the 600 cause he will not have that instant acceleration, he is more a wind up horse.

This is my point about Braeloch.

braeloch made it easier for starcraft and harder for himself,whereas the longer he waits,he makes it easier for himself and harder for starcraft,yes i got $80.00 matched at around 60s for the place on memory