Widden Sired Juvenile Double at Bendigo

The Bendigo meeting set down for Tuesday has been brought forward to beat the extreme high temperatures predicted with the first two juvenile events being run and won by first starters sired by Star Witness and Stratum.

Danny O’Brien trained Star Witness to win the 2010 Blue Diamond Stakes and he also puts the polish on his two year-old colt Lycurgus, who opened his career with an easy length and a quarter win in the 1100 metre maiden.

Allowed to find his feet at the rear by James Winks, he made ground along the fence coming to the turn and when angled into the clear found the line strongly to score a stylish win.

A $70,000 Inglis Easter Session II purchase for his trainer from the Kitchwin Hills draft, Lycurgus is the first foal of Geblizt, a metro winning Testa Rossa three-quarter sister-in-blood to stakes-winner Deledio.

Geblizt comes from a versatile Black Type family that has produced Group I winner SA Derby winner Kidnapped as well as Group winners Academus, Hauraki and Walking or Dancing.

Geblizt was covered last spring by Stratum, who provided the quinella in the next juvenile maiden over 1100 metres with Meridian Star too strong for Joan Constance.

Prepared by Richard Laming, Meridian Star was too fast and too professional, leading throughout and fighting on under pressure to forge clear and win by a length.

Bred by Teeley Assets and bought as a weanling by part-owner Gordon Stack at their 2014 Magic Millions Reduction Sale for $72,500, Meridian Star was passed in when re-offered at Inglis Easter as a yearling.

Entered for stakes races in Sydney over The Championships, Meridian Star is the first winner for Rubiton mare Maiden on Fire, a sister-in-blood to Group II winner Truly Wicked, the dam of international Group I winning sprinter Amber Sky.

Woodside Park will offer a full brother to Meridian Star as Lot 171 at the 2016 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

Star Witness and Stratum are both well represented at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale starting this Sunday with 14 and 10 lots respectively.