Nearly a Stakes Double for Star Witness

Our exciting young sire Star Witness went close to posting a stakes double on Saturday with lightly raced colt Well Sprung winning the Listed MVRC McKenzie Stakes at Moonee Valley and classy filly Kimberley Star finishing second in the Group II ATC Silver Shadow Stakes at Randwick.

Second at Cranbourne on debut in July, the Lyn Tolson and Leonie Proctor-trained colt Well Sprung looked to face a stiff task stepping up to Black Type company for his second start but rose to the challenge.

He led all the way for Michael Walker and cruised clear to win the 1200 metre sprint by a length and a quarter in an eye-catching display.

“He’s an exciting horse now but I think he’ll be better in the autumn,” Walker said.

“I think a race like the Caulfield Guineas might come a bit too soon for him but he’s got the ability.”

Well Sprung is the third stakes-winner and eighth individual stakes horse from the first crop of Champion Two and Three Year Old Colt Star Witness, who stands this spring at Widden at a fee of $22,000.

He is the second stakes-winner for his imported Group III winning dam Sprung (USA), whose other stakes-winner, four year-old Stratum mare Tawteen was also successful at Moonee Valley on Saturday at her first run back from a spell.

Prepared by David Hayes and Tom Dabernig for Shadwell Australia, the speedy Tawteen has now won six of 13 starts and over $311,000 in prizemoney.

Widden Stud sold a yearling colt by Stratum from Sprung at Inglis Easter this year for $250,000 .