Starcraft tips the scales at 566kg after workout

JOHN JENKINS
Glamour Australian galloper Starcraft clearly showed he is thriving at his Hastings base when he jumped on the scales after working at the Hastings track this morning.
The huge chestnut weighed 560kg when he left his home stable on the Gold Coast of Australia just over a month ago and tipped the scales at 566kg today.
"The more work I'm putting into him the bigger he's getting," trainer Garry Newham quipped after the weigh-in.
"But it's not that he's getting fat, he's just putting on more muscle," Newham hastened to add.
Newham did step up the horse's work slightly this morning compared to Tuesday.
With trackwork rider David Withington again aboard, Starcraft cantered three-quarters of a round on the soft plough before working in from the 2000m peg at three-quarter pace.
He gradually quickened the speed ever so slightly, running from the 1200 in 1:26.3, the last 1000 in 1:10.9, 800 in 56, 600 in 41.1 and coming home the final 400 in 26.9. Both trainer and jockey were again pleased with the workout and the horse, normally laid back, sparked up a bit as he was being led back off the track.
Stirred up by another horse working on the track beside him, Starcraft put in a couple of bounds that had Withington hanging on for dear life and Newham's arm stretched out on the end of the lead.
Pen Pal was one of the best of those timed in fast work in what was otherwise a quiet session.
The Pentire mare worked strongly on her own over 1000m in 1:6, coming home the last 600 in an excellent 36.6. Trainer Guy Lowry is looking at starting the mare next in an intermediate 1400m race at Woodville on October 7.
St Jazz showed his usual zip when sprinting 800m in 49.4, the last 600 in 36.3. He looks well but needs a soft track to help his chances on raceday.
Zippity Do Da worked in easily from the 1000m peg in 1:12.2, coming home the last 600 in 41.7. He disappointed at Foxton last start but trainer Grant Cullen is putting that failure down to the track conditions. The horse could start next at the Manawatu meeting at Awapuni next Thursday. Miss Jazz clocked 50.7 for 800m, the last 600 in 37.3 and is also likely to start next at Awapuni next Thursday, along with her stablemate Donna Jazz.
Trainer Wayne Davies has been working Donna Jazz over longer distances and plans to step her up to 2100m at the Manawatu meeting.
Wooden Doll was timed to run her last 600m in 39.3 while an O'Reilly two-year-old colt and a Zabeel three-year-old filly ended 800m of three-quarter pace with 44.4 for the last 600. They are both in Guy Lowry's stable.
Valhalla Flyer schooled over six hurdle fences and three steeplechase fences in the centre and gave a good display of jumping.