Bred and offered for sale by Gilgai Farm, two year-old Starspangledbanner filly Herastar might have been unfancied by punters at Morphettville on Saturday in the Listed SAJC Cinderella Stakes (1050m), but she’ll be favourite next time after unleashing a scintillating finish to claim victory.
Trained at Mornington by Dean Krongold, Herastar was dispatched to Adelaide to make her debut and after settling back in the field for Paul Gatt was able to work into the clear to make her challenge.
She hit the line hard to win by three-quarters of a length in the big field of 14 beating Ad Astra and Flying Stras, who are by first season sires Tassort and Strasbourg.
Herastar was bought by her trainer for a modest $40,000 at Inglis Premier last year and is the first stakes-winner among three winners from Group II winning O’Reilly mare Hera, who traces back to the family of Champion NZ 2YO Filly Ballroom Babe and many more stakes-winners including current sprint star Buenos Noches.
Herastar is the 38th stakes-winner for Starspangledbanner, who has five entries for the upcoming Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Gilgai Farm will offer the yearling half-brother by Toronado (IRE) to Herastar at Inglis Easter as Lot 63 and Hera foaled late last year producing a filly by Extreme Choice.