Wet track specialist Star Of The Seas charged home to give jockey James McDonald a race to race double in winning the Group 3 $160,000 Canadian Club Maurice McCarten Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill today.
Star Of The Seas, above, relished the wet conditions to win the Maurice McCarten Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
McDonald was aboard the James Cummings trained Thermosphere who scored an upset win the previous race, the Group 3 $175,000 Antler Luggage Magic Night Stakes (1200m) and was quickly back in the winner’s stall on the Chris Waller trained Star Of The Seas.
Star Of The Seas has won three from three on a heavy rated track prior to today and he found the conditions to suit when the Rosehill track was downgrade to a soft 7 following some heavy rain before the race and was then downgraded to a heavy 9 immediately after the Maurice McCarten Stakes which was run in the rain.
McDonald settled Star Of The Seas just worse than midfield and probably couldn’t see the tear away leader Zoustyle on the home turn in the murky conditions.
Zoustyle has set up a six lengths lead as heads were turn for home but folded quickly at the 200m and missed a place to finihsed in seventh position.
Star Of The Seas ($6) relished the heavy track conditions and was strong at the end of the 1100m for a one length win over River Bird who was one of the outsiders of the field at $31.
Spending To Win ($16) also found the line late to claim third sport just ahead of the $3.20 favourite Greyworm.
Star Of The Seas was having his first run back since finished third in the $1m The Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grang on November 23 and winning trainer Chris Waller was happy to see the rain arrive.
“He’s been a good horse to us. We picked this race out giving him the chance to show he can sprint and we were spoiled when it started to rain. Hopefully we can get another win with him in the carnival,” Waller said.
“We knew he’d be strong at the finish. When the leader was a long way in front and a handy horse but he picked them off one at a time. It was a great result to win in those colours.”
