Former Kiwi galloper Jimmysstar continued his rise through the grades when winning at Caulfield on Saturday for trainer Ciaron Maher in stunning fashion.
The four-year-old son of Per Incanto is now unbeaten in three starts in Australia, with the gelding having originally been prepared by Guy Lowry for two wins and a placing before his sale to a syndicate headed by prominent owner Ozzie Kheir.
Despite being slow from the barriers, Jimmysstar was able to muster to land midfield under Blake Shinn and when presented mid-track soon after straightening, the result was never in doubt, going on to score by more than two lengths from Who Dares and Forbidden City in BenchMark 84 company.
Jimmysstar defied the pattern of the day, where it was difficult to make ground given the rail was out 9 metres and his slick 1:21.54 backed up the impressive visual performance.
Racing Victoria's general manager of racing Matt Welsh was quick to grant Jimmysstar a wildcard entry for the $4 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield on March 16, joining fellow wildcard entries Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni, while Aotearoa Classic (1600m) winner Desert Lightning has also been awarded a start in the March assignment.
“You'd like them to break cleanly, but Blake knows the horse very well,” Maher said.
“He took luck out of it, rode the horse confidently and obviously I'm pretty chuffed to get that sort of offer for the All-Star Mile and I'm sure the owners will be pretty chuffed as well.
“He has got a bright future.
“Just from the short time we have had him here in Australia, the team have done such a good job with him. It took him a little bit to settle in and I thought the team over in New Zealand did a super job, given the way he arrived. It was basically a case of saddling him up and getting him into the routine.
“It was a super win and Blake rode him well.”
Maher admitted it was a big assignment to throw a ratings horse in the deep-end at weight-for-age should they go down the All-Star Mile path.
“He does show that talent that not many horses possess. I know it was only a ratings race today but he just continues to do it and as we raise the bar he does it with similar ease,” the leading trainer said.