Staying star set for another feature Cup
Well-performed stayer Uareastar is back in work with Marton trainer Fraser Auret to build toward another extreme distance target.
The Jakkalberry mare didn’t get the rub of the green at Riccarton last month, but has taken no harm from the southern venture with the focus now on next month’s Group 3 Wellington Cup (3200m).
“She got trapped on the inside in the New Zealand Cup (Group 3, 3200m) where the track was a bit worn,” Auret said.
“She couldn’t get out when she needed to, obviously it was a long way to go for a run like that, but she has come through it in good spirits.
“She had 10 days in the paddock and she’s back now and looking really good, so the Wellington Cup is the next target.”
Auret is unsure whether Uareastar will have another outing before the Trentham feature.
“We will just see because she is such a clean-winded horse that you can suit yourself really. We’ll just play that one by ear,” he said.
The winner of six races, Uareastar highlighted her depths of stamina last year when she triumphed in the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m).
Auret is blessed with an abundance of younger talent in his stable with Swiss Ace filly Race Ace a strong finishing second at Wanganui where she stepped up in grade in the Listed O’Leary Fillies’ Stakes (1340m).
“She was fantastic and she hadn’t had a lot of luck in her couple of maiden starts, hence we thought a bit of her to have a go in the first place,” he said.
“It was wonderful to get a bit of black type early in her career and she’ll soldier on to the Eulogy Stakes (Gr.3, 1600m) on Saturday week.”
Another potential stakes contender is Star Witness’ son Bueno Dias, who took the eye in his last-start maiden victory.
“He’s heading to Trentham on Saturday for the three-year-old set weights and penalties over 1400m, so we’ll get a nice line on him there,” Auret said.
“The form out of his win at Tauherenikau has been quite strong and I thought he was quite impressive, his last 100m in particular.
“He’s entered for the Levin Classic (Group 1, 1600m), but obviously he would need to show on Saturday that he is going the right way.”
Stablemate Iva Mission also broke his maiden the same day at Tauherenikau where The Mission gelding stepped up to 2050m in his second career outing.
“He is another nice three-year-old and I thought that was a great effort as he only got out the last 350m and let down beautifully,” Auret said.
“He is scheduled to go to Trentham on Saturday week for a Rating 65 stayers’ events and he looks like a really progressive type.
“We’ve got some really nice young ones, but it’s still really hard to hang on to some of them because the demand in Australia is so high.”
Another one Auret hasn’t managed to retain is Unusual Legacy, who will cross the Tasman in a deal brokered by Cambridge bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo.
He was a debut winner earlier this month for Auret’s parents Nigel and Adaire, who stand the four-year-old’s sire Unusual Suspect at their Letham Stud.
“He has been sold to Chris Waller, that’s why he didn’t start at Wanganui the other day,” he said.
“The Unusual Suspects have done a wonderful job in Australia.
“Unusual Culture that we placed with in the Wellington Stakes (Group 3, 1600m) and Eulogy Stakes (Group 3, 1600m), ran second in a Group 3 Heffernan Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday.
“They have really gone over there and stepped up to the plate, which is fantastic.”