Stratum Star fought off a host of rivals to record a very tough victory in the 2017 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield this this afternoon.

Stratum Star, above in maroon and white colours, scores a narrow win in the Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Mourinho took up the running in the early stages of the Peter Young Stakes from Stratum Star, but Luke Nolen was not happy with the speed and made a move on Jameka, who had been caught wide.

The United States, Jameka and Stratum Star all looked line genuine winning chances with 200 metres left to run, but fitness prove crucial for Stratum Star and he fought-off his rivals before holding off flying stablemate Humidor.

Trainer Darren Weir confirmed that Stratum Star would head to the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington in a fortnight and he revealed that a career at stud beckons for the five-year-old at the end of this campaign.

“He is such a tough horse,” Weir said.

“He is a beautiful horse and when you see him in the yard it is clear that he is a magnificent horse.

“Obviously he is not going to be around for much longer and there will be a fair bit of interest now for a few studs to stand him.

“I think that he will make a great stallion.

“He is tough, he is sound and he has everything that you would want in a racehorse.

“You have to be a tough horse to do what he has been able to do.

“He is really the perfect horse.

“His career is coming to an end, he is getting a little bit older and next season he will be standing at stud somewhere.

“He will head to the Australian Cup and he has to be a live chance in that the way he won today.”

Stratum Star and Humidor combined to give Weir the quinella the Peter Young Stakes quinella – following his quinella in the Futurity Stakes with Black Heart Bart and Tosen Stardom – and he said that Humidor will join Stratum Star in the Australian Cuo.

“The second horse ran good as well,” Weir said.

“He is a work in progress and his target has always been the Australian Cup.

“I think that he is really on track.

“He raced a bit more tractable and he still has to go a bit straighter in the straight.”

The United States made a pleasing return to racing in the Peter Young Stakes and he, along with Jameka, are also on a path towards the Australian Cup.