I Am A Star will head to the 2017 Sunline Stakes in a fortnight after she scored a narrow victory over Ellicazoom in the Kewney Stakes at Flemington this afternoon.
I Am A Star scored a narrow win over Ellicazoom in the Kewney Stakes. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
I Am A Star went into the Kewney Stakes as a dominant favourite, but it was a difficult watch for favourite-backers as she struggled to run down Red Is The Rose in the straight.
She eventually got past Red Is The Rose but Ellicazoom came with her and the pair were locked in an epic battle in the final stages of the Kewney Stakes before I Am A Star got her nose down at the right time to claim victory.
Jockey Dean Yendall got the chance to jump back on I Am A Star for the first time since she won the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) during the 2016 Spring Racing Carnival and he was delighted to record another feature race win on the talented filly.
“I really got excited to ride her after my good friend Craig Williams got suspended last week,” Yendall said.
“It was good to get the call-up from Shane and to get back on her.
“She went really well.
“About 500 metres from home I was pretty confident, but when I got to the furlong she sort of put in a funny little stride there and got a bit unbalanced.
“I had to pick her up again and ask her to go and she was pretty tough.”
Trainer Shane Nichols was pleased to see I Am A Star return to winning form in the Kewney Stakes and he said that he now has plenty of options with the daughter of I Am Invincible.
I Am A Star will have her next race start in the Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley in a fortnight before she either heads to Sydney for The Championships or is freshened-up for a tilt at the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) and Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide.
“The Sunline is the next and then we will look at the weather and decide whether we go to Sydney,” Nichols said.
“She is still in the Doncaster and she is still in the Queen Of The Turf – that would be the seven day back-up that we did from Cox Plate Day to the Myer.
“If it was wet up there we would save ourselves for Adelaide.
“There are a few options for her now.”
Ellicazoom lost no admirers with another brave effort to finish second, while Kendedna savaged the line in the final stages of the race for third.
