Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Evergreen pacer Galactic Star was seemingly in an impossible position in eighth place 400m from home in the 2130m KTC Bloodstock Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night before he unwound a spectacular burst to get up and win.
The 11-year-old New Zealand-bred gelding is certainly an equine marvel who continues to race with commendable enthusiasm for trainers Greg and Skye Bond.
He now boasts a wonderful record of 147 starts for 36 wins, 42 placings and stakes of $824,674.
Driver Deni Roberts was delighted at Galactic Star’s performance, saying: “When I first hooked him out with about 300 metres to travel, he went nowhere, and I thought ‘oh, that’s not the right move.’
“He always labours a bit on the turn, and when he straightens up, he lets down.” Galactic Star, a $5.70 chance, went five wide on the turn and surged home to beat Arma Einstein ($5.50) who ran on from sixth at the bell to hit the front 50m from the post. Galactic Star rated a smart 1.54.8.
The lead time was a fast 35.7sec. and Eldaytona ($8) took the lead after 250m and after an opening quarter of 29.7sec. he sprinted fast over the second quarter in 27.6sec. with the $3.30 favourite Finvarra in the breeze after settling down in last place.
Finvarra faded to finish last, while Soho Dow Jones ($14) caught the eye by flying home, out five wide, to finish third after being last at the bell.
Galactic Star raced 13 times in New Zealand for four wins, seven placings and $25,848 before being sold to Team Bond and Rob Gartrell’s Running Camel Pty Ltd for less than $50,000 in 2016.
Galactic Star is by champion sire Bettors Delight and is out of Petra’s Star (14 starts for three wins, two placings and $26,739). One significant reason that enticed the Bonds and Gartrell to purchase Galactic Star was that they had raced Petra’s Star’s half-brother Tuapeka Tiz for eight wins between 2009 and 2011.
Later, they bought Lawrence, another half-brother to Petra’s Star, who had 22 starts in WA for nine wins and seven placings before being sold to race in America.