In Brief
- Still A Star and Sh'bourne Renegade emerge from Bass Strait trip in good order.
- Media call this afternoon for trainer.
- Ryan remains confident both horses will perform well at the Valley on Saturday.
Tasmanian mare Still a Star has emerged from her first trip across Bass Strait in great order and is ready for the race of her life at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Still A Star will face her toughest test when she lines up in the $5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley tomorrow against arguably the best field of milers in the nation.
The Bill Ryan-trained four-year-old resumed racing after a year absence with a brilliant win in the Group 3 Vamos Stakes (1400m) in Launceston last month but this next assignment is in a different league.
Still A Star was accompanied on the trip by last month’s Launceston Cup placegetter Sh’bourne Renegade that is engaged in a benchmark 80 handicap over 2500m at the Valley tomorrow.
The trainer’s daughter Monica Ryan travelled on the Spirit of Tasmania with the horses on Thursday night and she says the trip was smooth.
“Both horses have travelled well and once we arrived at the stables (Malua Racing at Flemington) they both ate up and looked fresh and comfortable from the overnight trip,” Monica Ryan said.
The horses will be exercised this afternoon after the trainer deals with a media conference to explain how the mare had travelled and what he is expecting of her.
Still A Star must undergo a routine vet’s check this afternoon and once given the all-clear she will be exercised on-course.
“I am very confident both horses will run well on Saturday,” Ryan said.