Astara had an impressive win in the Listed Dunstan Feeds Soliloquy Stakes. Photo/Trish Dunell
Astara had an impressive win in the Listed Dunstan Feeds Soliloquy Stakes. Photo/Trish Dunell
An inside gate was instrumental in Astara adding winning momentum to her Group One campaign.
The Ruakaka filly was beaten from wide draws in her first two appearances as a 3-year-old, but she made excellent use of a much better barrier at Ellerslie on Saturday to claim top honours inthe 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 Group One 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."
Runner-up Glass Slipper and third placegetter Mystery Show, at $7 and $8 respectively for the Guineas, both impressed with their finishing runs.
"It was a super run. She ran out a bit which probably cost her the race," the former's rider Leith Innes said.
Mystery Show went back to last from her wide gate and she also powered home. "She went huge," jockey Mark Du Plessis said. "We had no options from the draw, but she hit the line hard."
