Nova Star shines in Winter Stakes
23 June
By Rob Burnet www.thoroughbrednews.co.nzIn-form Queensland mare Nova Star scored her biggest victory when successful in the $500,000, Group I, Queensland Breeders Winter Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Iglesia mare gave trainer Kelly Schweida his biggest victory when successful in final few bounds over the Gai Waterhouse-trained Fashions Afield with New Zealand filly J’Adane back in third place.
Nova Star had the form credentials going into the last Group I event of the season. She raced her way into fifth in the Group I Stradbroke Handicap over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm on June 9, after victory in the Group II QTC Cup, 1200 metres, at Eagle Farm a week prior. She had started her winter campaign with a win in the listed Silk Stocking at the Gold Coast back on May 5th.
Jockey Stathi Katsidis had Nova Star racing beyond midfield to the home turn. When the leaders peeled towards the centre of the track, Katsidis elected to not go too wide before bringing her home strongly to catch Fashions Afield in the shadows of the post.
Fashions Afield (Redoute's Choice) sat just off the leader Gold Edition before throwing out a challenge and quickly reeling in the leader. She looked set for victory until reeled in late.
J’Adane (Danehill) ran well, finishing gamely towards the fence for third money, just touching out Doubting in a photo finish.
Track conditions played against the favourite Gold Edition, as well as the inability to run out the 1400m, and possibily the effect of a very ling season startgin for the 31st time in her career.
After comfortably finding the lead, jockey John Powell was forced to edge off the fence rounding the home, just as she did when a tiring sixth in the Queensland Guineas on June 11.
This time Gold Edition was quickly beaten off and Powell elected not to punish the filly over the last 150 metres of the race and she beat a handful of gallopers to the line.
Nova Star is a five-year-old mare by Iglesia out of the Luskin Star mare Filnova and she is trained by Schweida on the course. Owned by S J Dillon, Dr M A Gillman, K Bredhauer, G Turnbull, Mrs S Knight and D Harvey she was winning for the seventh time out of 28 starts. With four placings she has earned stakes of $884,800 and the invaluable Group I black type.