Track Record Breakers for Trapeze Artist and Star Witness
The Gary Portelli-trained Trapeze Artist colt Flying Trapeze kept the winning run going for his sire when scoring a stylish win at Randwick on Wednesday breaking the course record for 1400m on the Kensington track.
Having his second run back from a spell after winning and being stakes-placed last season at two, Flying Trapeze was strong to the line kicking clear for Jason Collett to win the Benchmark 68 event by two lengths in a slick 1:20.86.
Flying Trapeze does everything right and gets a nice win!@GaryPortelli pic.twitter.com/yuCBNfsTMu
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 18, 2023
“The favourite bungled the start and we were able to control the speed,” said Gary Portelli.
“The track is running pretty fast, so I’m not sure if we should be running a track record, but we’ll take it.
“He’s an unassuming horse that is coming along slowly but surely and he might win a decent race for us.”
Portelli Racing purchased Flying Trapeze for $85,000 from the Widden Stud draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and he has two wins and three placings from 10 starts with prizemoney topping $125,000.
Bred by Rob and Jan Bergstrom, Flying Trapeze is the first foal of the Bernardini (USA) mare Coromandel, a sister to multiple Group II winner and Group I placed Toydini out of the Bergstrom’s outstanding mare Johan’s Toy.
First Light Racing/Annabel Neasham Racing shelled out $120,000 for a sister to Flying Artist consigned by Widden Stud to Magic Millions this year.
Coromandel was covered again last spring by Trapeze Artist, who is now sitting on top of the Australian Second Season Sires table by earnings with nine winners of $2.5million headed by his Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas winner Griff. He is also the leading 3YO sire in the country ahead of Exceed and Excel, Snitzel and I Am Invincible.
Also breaking the track record at Randwick on the Kensington track over 1550m was four year-old Star Witness gelding Iknowastar, who took the Benchmark 78 event by a length and a half for the Bjorn Baker stable.
An $80,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Bjorn Baker Racing / Clarke Bloodstock from the Widden Stud draft, Iknowastar has the overall record of eight wins from 15 starts with earnings topping $210,000.
Iknowastar wins his 8th race from his last 10 starts and firms in the market for the $3 million The Big Dance 🕺.
It was a dominant front-running display on the Kenso from this $80,000 graduate of @widdenstud purchased at the @inglis_sales Premier Sale with @BBakerRacing. pic.twitter.com/iC3EsB0XFr
— Clarke Bloodstock (@ClarkeBstock) October 18, 2023
