The
subject of a Breednet 'Juvenile Trial Watch' story last month exciting Adelaide
(IRE) filly Funstar put a smile on her trainer Chris Waller's face when she
romped home to win as she pleased on debut at Canterbury on Wednesday.
A half-sister to last year's Group I BRC Queensland Oaks winner Youngstar, who
is also trained by Waller, Funstar had shown plenty of promise in recent trials
and went to the races well educated and ready to fire despite taking on a field
of two and three year-olds in the 1250 metre maiden.
Ridden quietly from a wide gate, she angled to the outside turning for home and
came with a late rush for Robbie Dolan to race away and win by more than three
lengths in a dominant display as a hot favourite.
"She's a very smart filly and has shown that in her trials," said Waller.
"Being by Adelaide suggests distance won't be a problem and that's why we rode
her back today.
"I'm tickled pink with her. She has such a bright future and the owners will have
so much fun with her."
Funstar was purchased for $80,000 from the Bowness Stud draft at Inglis Easter
by Anton Koolman Bloodstock, who also purchased Youngstar and has many of the
same owners involved again.
She is a half-sister to not only Youngstar, but also stakes-placed Eleven
Seconds and is from blue-blooded Danehill import Starspangled (IRE), a daughter
of Champion 3YO Filly and five time Group I winner User Friendly. Starspangled
was back at Coolmore last spring and is now in foal to Pierro.
Funstar is a top class prospect for her Cox Plate winning sire Adelaide, who
has had just three first crop runners to date.
A brilliant son of the world's best sire Galileo, Adelaide stands at the modest
fee of $11,000 at Coolmore this spring and has been well supported in his first
four seasons covering over 400 mares.