Busselton trainer Barry Howlett is a keen judge of breeding and horseflesh and he has no regrets that he paid the top price of $52,500 at the 2018 Perth APG yearling sale for a filly by champion stallion Bettors Delight out of the Lombo Mandingo mare Maddy White.
Now a four-year-old mare named Star of Diamonds, she has earned $112,976 from seven wins and 12 placings from 33 starts.
Star Of Diamonds, second favourite at $6.10, relished her first appearance in a stand when she began with great alacrity from the 10m line to charge straight to the front before setting a fast pace and scoring an easy win in the Group 3 Sky Racing Replays Laurie Kennedy Race For Roses at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Her task was made easy when the $1.65 favourite Alice Kay broke into a gallop after pacing for the first few strides and dropped back through the field.
Chris Voak took full advantage of Alice Kay’s misdemeanour and he urged Star Of Diamonds past frontmarker Bettor Pack It to take up the running. After solid quarters of 30.4sec., 28.8sec., 28.2sec. and 28.8sec. Star Of Diamonds rated a smart 1.59.8 over the 2503m journey.
Alice Kay settled down in eighth position before Gary Hall Jnr sent her forward in the first lap to race without cover. Alice Kay wilted after her hard run and finished ninth.
Alice Kay beat $8.50 chance Savvy Bromac, who started off 20m and was eighth at the bell before finishing powerfully to be an eye-catching second, almost a length ahead of the third placegetter, the Howlett-trained Somebeachparty, who fought on gamely after enjoying an ideal passage, one-out and one-back.
Star Of Diamonds certainly has inherited much of the ability of her dam Maddy White, who earned $110,824 from 11 wins and 20 placings from 51 starts.
Star Of Diamonds completed a double for Voak, who guided Perfect Major, the $1.70 favourite, an all-the-way victory in the 2130m Sky Racing Active Pace.
Perfect Major, who is developing into a contender for rich feature events at the summer carnival, has raced seven times in WA for trainer Ross Olivieri for seven wins to improve his record to 37 starts for 15 wins, 11 placings and stakes of $184,246.
He sped over the final 800m in 56sec. and rated 1.55.1 in beating Chiaroscuro by a neck.
by Ken Casellas