Former Kiwi galloper Jimmysstar scored a stunning win in the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday under a brilliant Ethan Brown ride.
The son of Per Incanto stalked eventual runner-up She’s Bulletproof and launched from the rear of the field to record an emphatic length and a quarter victory in a slick 1:02.25.
The winner of two of his three starts in New Zealand for Hastings trainer Guy Lowry, a majority share in Jimmysstar was sold to clients of Ciaron Maher following a Rating 65 win at Hawke’s Bay.
Maher has subsequently placed the now five-year-old to perfection with Jimmysstar having a particular affinity for Caulfield, where he has won four of five starts, with his only unplaced effort at the venue when luckless in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at the end of last campaign.
“He is a very special horse,” Maher said.
“Ozzie Kheir and the team of owners, they’re great people. He’s got such a following does Jimmy. I’ve been patient, he has always shown that sort of ability and Ethan did say to me ‘it’s about time’, before the race.”
Maher said winning fresh-up last campaign over the course and distance had given him the confidence to thrust the exciting talent into the Group One short-course contest fresh-up.
“I think Ozzie thought I was crazy when I ran him over 1100m the first time,” he said.
“He’s a special horse. He’s always shown that bit of X factor and I can’t thank Ozzie, John and the whole ownership group enough. They’re fantastic to train for, he’s got a knack of finding the best horses.
“It’s huge for Sam (Williams) at Little Avondale. He is just a great advertisement for what patience can do. He was very well managed in New Zealand and came over after only a few starts.”
Rising star Ethan Brown has seven Group One victories to his name and six of those have come for Maher.
“I take a lot of pride in the fact we have built a good relationship and you can see he is just so confident to ride a horse like that in a Group One, it was beautiful,” Maher said.
Jimmysstar was bred by Wairarapa couple Pete and Chrissy Algie in partnership with Masterton’s Little Avondale Stud.
Stud proprietors Sam and Catriona Williams along with the Algies remain in the ownership of the star galloper.
The chestnut gelding is by Little Avondale Stud’s outstanding stallion Per Incanto out of Anniesstar.
The Zed mare won five races including the Listed Feilding Gold Cup (2100m), while her full-brother Jacksstar was a seven-time winner up to Group Two level and also placed in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) and her half-brother Bourbonaire was runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).
Anniesstar is the dam of three named foals, and all of them have been winners, including Charms Star, winner of the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m), and she was also runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Queensland Oaks (2200m) as a three-year-old.