Group Double for Star Witness

The colours of the great sprinter Schillaci were carried to victory in the race named after him with exciting Star Witness colt Star Turn thumping his older rivals to win the Group II MRC Schillaci Stakes in a breeze at Caulfield on Saturday.

Prepared by Hawkes Racing, Star Turn racked up a big Group double for Star Witness, whose brilliant filly Global Glamour earlier won the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas.

Partnered by Craig Williams, Star Turn tracked the leaders and accelerated smartly to win the 1100 metre weight-for-age sprint by more than two lengths.

“It’s never easy for the three-year-olds to beat the older horses and he did a really, really good job,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said.

“Make no mistake about that – he’s a boy taking on the men and that’s a really good effort.”

Hawkes said the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day is the likely next race for Star Turn.

“The Coolmore is the obvious race for him – if you go to the Manikato he will come up against Chautauqua.

“Dad thought this was the right race for him to come in with the weight concession on the way to the Coolmore.”

Consigned for sale to Magic Millions and bred in partnership by Widden, Star Turn made $400,000 and runs in the familiar colours of well-known Sydney owner Alan Bell, who bought and raced Schillaci with much success back in the nineties.

He has the overall record of three wins and three placings from eight starts with prizemoney topping $600,000.

Star Turn is a half-brother to three other winners including Group II placed Straight Gold from the good producer and Group III winner Golden Delicious.

Widden Stud sold a full sister to Star Turn at Inglis Easter this year to Shadwell Australia for $300,000 that has been named Shufoog and a three-quarter brother in-blood from Hilton Head for $750,000 at Magic Millions that is called Eden Roc.

Golden Delicious died last year and her last foal is a Stratum yearling colt.