West Star is aptly named. He’s a three-year-old on the rise.
If further proof was required, evidence came in the Northam Stakes (1300m).
He was the best backed runner in the Group 3 feature and duly saluted like one.
Trapped wide and forced to do things the hard way, it didn’t hold him back.
When jockey Lucy Fiore gave him full reign with 200m remaining he kicked clear.
With a burst of speed, he shot away, defeating his next rival Magnificent Andy by a good margin, 1 3/4 lengths. Comfort Me ran another feature third.
West Star bounced back after the Quokka (1200m), he ran seventh but was far from disgraced as the sole three-year-old in the $5 million slot race.
West Star capped a whirlwind 24 hours for Fiore after she partnered Generosity to a fifth placing in the Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville.
It was Fiore’s first steer on West Star after Tim Clark, William Pike and Chris Parnham completed their responsibilities earlier in the piece.
She came away suitably impressed and said West Star’s class won him the race.
“He is lovely, and we definitely won that one on class alone,” Fiore said.
“I was kinda of not worried when I was three deep, it’s not ideal and you want cover, but he was able to free roll and come off in the middle.
“I tried to stay as still as I could for as long as possible, but when I said go at the 250m, he put them away.
“It was a really impressive win.”
West Star is a winner in five of eight races with two other placings. The Quokka his lowest finishing position.
The son of Playing God is now a two-time stakes winner after claiming the Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) at Ascot seven months ago.
A $175,000 Perth Magic Millions yearling, West Star advanced prizemoney and bonuses to just over $700,000.
He gave trainer Simon Miller a second Northam Stakes win after First Among Equals (2017).
Miller indicated in a radio interview during the week that West Star and Generosity will target a Melbourne spring campaign later this year.
Julio Santarelli