The Ruakaka filly was beaten from wide draws in her first two appearances as a three-year-old, but she made excellent use of a much better barrier at Ellerslie on Saturday to claim top honours in the Listed Dunstan Feeds Soliloquy Stakes.
In the hands of Samantha Collett, Astara jumped well to sit behind the pace and
once clear in the straight she finished well to remain unbeaten record at
Ellerslie. She won twice there last season, including the Listed Champagne
Stakes."I told Sam to have A and B plans - ideally we wanted her in the trail or if she was in front that would have been fine, but she had to go forward," said Donna Logan, who trains the grey in partnership with Chris Gibbs.
"Sam knows the horse well, she's ridden her at the trials as well and it's not always easy getting riders to stay with horses but she is the first to volunteer."
Astara is raced by her Perth-based breeder Neven Botica, who purchased her European Group Three-winning sire Dalghar from the Aga Khan to stand at Brighthill Farm.
Her Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas odds have now been cut from $18 to $10 following her Soliloquy success.
"It was a great, tough win," Collett said. "She got a good draw and she was able to sit on the speed. She is an Ellerslie specialist and the extra trip (at Riccarton) will suit her down to the ground."
