STAR Turn, a colt who demonstrated his natural precocity from an early age before producing a stellar three-year-old racing season, has been retired at stud where he joins Vinery Stud, near Scone.
The handsome chestnut stallion displayed early ability by taking the ATC Pierro Plate in October of his juvenile season.
He then advanced to run in Australia’s principle Group 1 races the VRC Blue Diamond Stakes and ATC Golden Slipper Stakes.
His trainers of Team Hawkes (of father John, and sons Wayne and Michael Hawkes), then kicked off Star Turn’s three-year-old spring campaign in terrific fashion.
He landed a dominant win in the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes, a renowned speed test over 1100 metres.
“He produced a breathtaking turn of foot to turn the tables on Capitalist who had beaten him in the Group 1 Golden Slipper,” Michael Hawkes said.
“Capitalist was the benchmark, but Star Turn has come on and matured.”
Sent to Melbourne, Star Turn showed another brilliant burst of acceleration to defeat older horses at weight-for-age in the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes. running the 1100 metres at Caulfield in a slick 1m.02.89s.
In that autumn, Star Turn again met older horses.
He placed every time in three stakes, competing in Group 1 time-honoured Melbourne sprints the Lightning Stakes, Newmarket Handicap and William Reid Stakes.
Bought as a yearling by renowned Sydney horseman Alan Bell for $400,000, the exceptional looking colt has a proven speed pedigree.
Star Turn’s emerging sire Star Witness won the Group 1 MRC Blue Diamond Stakes at two, and the VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes as a three-year-old.
By Group 1 winner Starcraft (a grandson of Nureyev), Star Witness was crowned champion second season sire by winners in 2015-16.
Performances of Star Turn and dual Group 1 winner Global Glamour (won MRC Thousand Guineas and ATC Flight Stakes) has the flashy chestnut stallion on top of his third crop and current season.
Golden Delicious, dam of Star Turn, also possessed tremendous speed.
She won 13 races including five stakes from 1000 to 1200 metres.
A Star Kingdom line bred mare, Golden Delicious has produced four to race for four winners including multiple stakes performed Straight Gold and Hilton Head, dam of this season’s promising two-year-old Eden Roc.
Star Turn stands alongside Casino Prince, his son All Too Hard, More Than Ready and his son Pluck, and the effervescent Testa Rossa.