I Am A Star shines at Moonee Valley
Shane Nichols wants to take I Am A Star north but Sydney’s weather will decide if the filly heads to The Championships after her win in Group Two Sunline Stakes at Moonee Valley.
The sole three-year-old in Friday night’s race, I Am A Star all but booked her passage to Sydney when she raced on the pace under jockey Dean Yendall before strolling to a soft 3-1/4 length win over the older duo French Emotion and First Seal.
Nichols said the Group One Doncaster Mile on Saturday week and the Group One Coolmore Legacy Stakes (Queen Of The Turf) on April 8, both over the Randwick 1600m course, were possible targets for the top performer but Sydney’s autumn rain needed to ease.
“All I want it to do is stop raining in Sydney. We’ll go if it’s slow, maybe to the Doncaster after that win but we’ll give joint consideration to the Coolmore Legacy,” Nichols said.
“We just want it to be no worse than soft. We don’t want it to be heavy.”
Nichols flagged an alternative of freshening I Am A Star for the Group One double of the Robert Sangster Stakes and Goodwood, both 1200m, in Adelaide in May should weather derail the Sydney plan.
I Am A Star’s win over the Chris Waller-trained French Emotion repeated the quinella of the Group One Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup carnival.
The win was I Am A Star’s second straight victory after she claimed the Group Two Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 11.