Star Celebrate With Stratum Mare

Progressive Stratum mare Queenstown scored a powerful win in the $100,000 fillies and mares event over 2040 metres at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Second to Sharnee Rose in the Group III ATC Angst Stakes at her previous run, Queenstown confirmed the strength of that performance when forging clear to win by a length and a half for Michael Rodd as a well backed favourite.

“Once he set her alight it was all over,” said winning trainer Gai Waterhouse.

“The purple and white stars of Star Thoroughbreds are gleaming all over Moonee Valley tonight!”

A $60,000 purchase for Star Thoroughbreds from the Armidale Stud draft at the 2011 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, Queenstown has the super consistent overall record of four wins and five placings from 11 starts with prizemoney nearing $250,000.

Bred in Tasmania by Armidale Stud, Queenstown is the second winner from Zabeel mare Regal Heights (NZ), who comes from the family of Group I winners Serious Speed and March Hare.

Queenstown looks a future stakes-winner for Stratum, who is enjoying a bumper start to the season with a string of stakes-winners headed by Group I winner Streama as well as Divine Calling, Unpretentious and Va Pensiero.