Line The Starzzz Continues Turvey’s Great Run
Line The Starzzz sailing home for the win on Monday. Photography by Jodie Hallows
After almost 14 months on the sidelines, Line The Starzzz returned to the winners circle on Monday at Pinjarra at just her third start back this preparation. Now trained by Nathan Turvey, the five-year-old began well from the 40m handicap in the 2116 standing start trot to work her way to the lead by the 1400m mark, with driver Gary Hall Jnr not even turning his whip, going to the line hard held to win by a margin of 9.4m in a mile rate of 2:05:3.
Starting first up in the second on the card over the 2185m, two-year-old Loucid Dream worked to the lead after 800m from barrier five for driver Dylan Egerton-Green, taking over from his stable mate The Hope Diamond, to win by 2.4m in 2:01:3, giving trainer Colin Brown the race quinella.
Short-priced favourite Rockstar Rebel saluted for trainer Michael George and driver Gary Hall Jnr, giving Hall Jnr a driving double on the card. Resuming after a short let up, the three-year-old claimed his maiden victory in the third after landing the lead easily at release point, Hall surrendered the front and settled behind the leader over the 1684m sprint, getting a run around 70m from home, to win by 4.1m in 1:56:8.
“He bolts, absolutely no idea what he is doing, he is very fast,”
“I told Gary we need to sit, but I was very nervous on the home turn.” George said.
Gregarmy made it two from two for his new stable after settling well back in the early stages, with driver Chris Voak pulling the four-year-old out three wide to settle in the breeze with a lap and a half to go. Trained by Craig Abercromby, the last start maiden managed to sit outside the leader and still come out on top, claiming the fourth on the card by 2.2m in 1:56:6 over the 2185m.
Breaking a 34-start losing sequence, Fireplay saluted at $6.50 odds for trainer Russell Eddy and gave Chris Voak a race-to-race driving double in the fifth on the card. In a mile rate of 1:57:9 over the 2185m, the five-year-old who hadn’t won since September 2020 brought up his first win for Eddy, after settling four back on the pegs he was inconvenienced by a galloper in front of him, but managed to keep his position, making his run just before the turn and going on to win by 3m.
Short-priced favourite Stamford NZ got the job done in race six after settling behind the leader throughout the 1684m sprint. Peeling off the leaders back with just over 200m to go, he was able to stave off his rivals to win by 1.9m for trainer Ray Williams and driver Aldo Cortopassi.
Kiara Davies and Emily Suvaljko joined forces in race seven with Medieval Man starting off the 30m handicap to record his 13th career victory from just 60 starts. After finding the lead with two laps to go, the four-year-old managed to find plenty at the finish to hold off the favourite, winning by 2.5m in 1:58:9 over the 2631m staying standing start.
It was a small field of five in the last, but with plenty of action in the early stages, Classic Choice put in a few rough strides at the front of the field, leaving Wainui Creek NZ open to finding the front 700m after release point take out race eight by 6.3m for Team Bond and Ryan Warwick. In a mile rate of 1:58:7, the $4.80 shot went on to win by 6.3m, bringing up her sixth win in WA since making the move a year ago.
After copping interference in the last and being retired from the event, trainer and driver Aiden Decampo confirmed that Alta Engen had got her leg over her hopple but appears to have pulled up fine.
Ashleigh Paikos