In Brief
- Still A Star well named.
- Ryan adamant his filly will run a strong 1400m.
- Speed Force takes winning form into the Conquering.
Talented three-year-old filly Still A Star faces her toughest test in Launceston tonight but her trainer Bill Ryan is adamant the daughter of Toronado will be up to the task.
Still A Star is unbeaten from two starts this season with the latest an effortless win in the $75,000 3YO Cup over 1200 metres three weeks ago.
The filly gives the impression she will relish stepping up to 1400 metres and that’s one of the reasons why Ryan is so confident.
“This filly has been very good over the shorter trips up to 1200 metres but the way she won last start suggests to me that the 1400 metres won’t be an issue, in fact I believe it gives her an even bigger edge over her opponents,” Ryan said.
Still A Star has delivered two outstanding performances this time in and if she takes out the 3YO Trophy, Ryan says the sky could be the limit.
“She has been a revelation because she was good as a two-year-old even though she was very immature, she keeps on improving with each start.
“Before the 3YO Cup I was confident she would be very competitive but the way she put some of our best three-year-olds to the sword I think she is better than I thought she was.”
Looking beyond Wednesday night, Ryan is confident he will aim Still A Star at the Tasmanian Guineas to take on the colts and geldings, instead of focusing on the Thousand Guineas for fillies.
“I have no doubt this filly is above average, so if she goes as well as I think she will over 1400m against the boys and her own sex on Wednesday night, then we might as well have a crack at the $100,000 Tasmanian Guineas two and a half weeks later over 1600m.
“If she is competitive in the Tasmanian Guineas but doesn’t win, we can always go to the Thousand Guineas for fillies about three weeks later.”
While Ryan is confident Still A Star can win the 3YO Trophy on Wednesday night, he is hoping his open class sprinter-miler Speed Force can make it a double by winning the weight-for-age Conquering Stakes (1400m).
Speed Force resumed from a spell with a brilliant open handicap win over 1400 metres in Launceston four weeks ago.
He meets arguably the best field assembled this season with the Conquering boasting a star-studded line-up that includes the three Newmarket Handicap placegetters I’m Wesley, Twitchy Frank and Hellova Street as well as potential superstar Mandela Effect.
“I’ve decided to target the weight-for-age races with Speed Force this season and the way he won first-up he’s not without a chance in the Conquering on Wednesday night.
“He handles carrying big weights as he showed last start lugging 61.5kg but in the Conquering he drops to 59kg but it is probably the best field assembled this season so he will have to be at the top of his game to win.”
Watch Still A star win the 3YO Cup in Launceston at her latest outing.