Starry Heights Triumphs in Kalgoorlie Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday October 5

There were seventeen stakes races Australia-wide on Saturday, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better ride than Willie Pike's on the favourite Starry Heights in the Listed XXXX Kalgoorlie Cup (23000m).

Back among the tailenders turning for home, Pike scythed between runners on the 5-year-old son of Star Turn to defeat the 7-year-old Galileo gelding Iowa by one and a quarter lengths, with the All Too Hard mare Red Cadillac two and a half lengths in third.

In completing the Boulder Cup - Kalgoorlie Cup double, the Grant and Alana Williams-trained gelding advances his record to nine wins and a second from 19 starts with earnings of $452,142.

"He could potentially be a Perth Cup horse," Alana Williams said.

"I'm rapt for (part-owner) Rodney Kemp. He really wanted to win this race because it was the one race that eluded him as a jockey."

Willie Pike said he had a plan to ride for luck.

"The way the track's playing and how hard it is to make ground, I did not want to try and loop them because I tried it on an odds-on pop earlier, and it blew up in my face," Pike said.   

Purchased by his trainers for $35,000 from the Ruby Racing & Breeding draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale, Starry Heights is the first foal and only runner for the unraced High Chaparral (IRE) mare Highly Illustrious, who hails from the family of Denise's Joy.

Starry Heights a $35,000 Perth Magic Millions yearling

Starry Heights a $35,000 Perth Magic Millions yearling

The third and final foal of Highly Illustrious is a 2-year-old colt by War Chant, a $5,000 purchase for  John Chalmers Bloodstock (FBAA) at the 2023 Perth Winter Thoroughbred Sale.

Starry Heights rounded out a productive day for Vinery stallions after Ole Kirk made the best possible start to his stud career when King Kirk stormed to victory in the Group III Breeders' Plate at Randwick and fell just a length short of a historic double with O' Ole second in the Group III Gimcrack Stakes.

Exceedance looks to have a Group 1 winner-in-waiting after Swiftfalcon demolished the opposition in the Listed Dulcify Stakes. 

Race Result - XXXX Kalgoorlie Cup LR 2300m

Kalgoorlie Track: Good(3) Time: 2:20.02
1
Starry Heights
- 5g Star Turn (AUS) x Highly Illustrious (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: W Pike 57.5
MM Perth Yearling Sale $35,000
Seller: Ruby Racing & Breeding, Kojarena, WA
Buyer: Grant & Alana Williams
2
1.3
Iowa
- 7g Galileo (IRE) x Bridal Dance (IRE) (Danehill Dancer (IRE))
Tnr: Simon Miller Rdr: Chris Parnham 54.5
3
3.9
Red Cadillac
- 7m All Too Hard (AUS) x Sublime Girl (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: P J Fernie Rdr: Natasha Faithfull 54
Inglis June (Late) Online Sale $10,000
Seller: Belhus Racing Stables
Buyer: Andrew Inglis
Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale Book 1 $25,000
Seller: Devon Park Stud, Lilydale
Buyer: Grand Syndicates / Peregrine Bloodstock
4
5.3
Stop Dreaming
- 6g Blackfriars (AUS) x Beautiful Dreams (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Luke Fernie Rdr: P Carbery 54
5
6
Come Right Back
- 8g Toronado (IRE) x Sense Of Purpose (AUS) (Tiger Hill (IRE))
Tnr: A G Durrant Rdr: T Turner 54.5
6
6.1
Utgard Loki
- 9g Frost Giant (USA) x Twinkle Toes (IRE) (Danehill (USA))
Tnr: P J Fernie Rdr: Lucy Fiore 54
7
10.4
Another Chino
- 5g Maschino (AUS) x Apheta (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: D L Morton Rdr: B Parnham 55
8
23.1
Camorra
- 8g Zoffany (IRE) x Mauralakana (FR) (Muhtathir (GB))
Tnr: S V Vahala Rdr: S Parnham 59
More Reading...
Metro Double Keeps Winners Coming for So You Think
With 26 winners in the last 30 days, So You Think is powering through the summer and had a metropolitan double on Wednesday with progressive mare Flying Thinker saluting at Rosehill and Bossy Benita breaking her maiden at Sandown.
Waller Winners to Watch
The Chris Waller stable produced a couple of well bred lightly raced maiden winners at Rosehill on Wednesday in I Am Invincible colt President, who has a half-sister for Inglis Easter and Zoustar filly Kilonova, who is closely related to Champion 3YO Filly Sunlight.
Geegess Mistruth Mighty Again - Ears Pricked
Mighty Tassie filly Geegees Mistruth had little trouble retaining her local unbeaten record with an easy win in the Group III Vamos Stakes at Launceston on Wednesday.
Star Stratosphere Filly Wins Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes
The purple and white stars colours of Star Thoroughbreds have had a hot run in Tasmania in recent weeks and featured again on Wednesday at Launceston when brilliant two year-old filly Sanniya made it two wins in as many starts when taking out the $150,000 Listed Gold Sovereign Stakes (1200m).
One to Watch – Doomben
All Too Hard gave us an eye-catching maiden winner at Doomben on Wednesday with a big pedigree as this girl is a half-sister to triple Group I winning $4million earner Duais.
Star Turn's Starry Heights Romps in the Boulder Cup
Stakes racing at the Goldfields on Sunday, where the Starn Turn gelding Starry Heights made his stakes debut count in the Listed Blue Spec Drilling Boulder Cup (2116m).
Sires With Winners - Wednesday February 26
Here is the full list of 50 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Godolphin 3YO tops Feb (Late) Online Sale
Exciting Godolphin galloper Caesar Cipher (Encryption) topped today’s Inglis Digital February (Late) Online Sale, selling for $140,000.
27th Stakes Winner for Rosemont's Shamus Award
Sometimes you might just need to feel the love, which may have been be the key to Shamus Award’s 27th stakeswinner, Distrustful Award in the Group III Launceston Cup.
Kiwi Bred Ceolwulf Ready for G1 Verry Elleegant
Trainer Joe Pride is confident that Ceolwulf will take a significant step forward from his first-up performance as he prepares for Saturday’s Gr.1 Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.