Back-to-back Stocks Stakes for I Am A Star (NZ)

High-class mare I Am A Star (NZ) (I Am Invincible) defended her crown in the Group 3 Sporting Globe Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night, heading a Karaka quinella in the A$200,000 feature.

Bought for just $12,000 at the 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, I Am A Star has now won nine of her 25 starts for prizemoney of A$1,450,450 – more than 120 times her purchase price.

Runner-up Mrs Gardenia (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) was an $80,000 purchase at the 2015 Premier Sale and has now earned more than A$268,000.

I Am A Star broke slowly from the starting gate on Friday night, but rider Ben Melham urged her forward and she quickly recovered to take the lead. She showed her class by sprinting again at the top of the straight, kicking away to win by a length and a quarter from a fast-finishing Mrs Gardenia.

“She just faltered a bit at the start and was a little bit ordinary away, but she was able to recover quickly,” Melham said. “From there, she dictated terms in front. She was the class mare of the race, and she’s won accordingly.

“She’s more than capable of winning another Group 1, which would look good on her CV.”

I Am A Star has now won eight black-type races, with her two Stocks Stakes wins sitting alongside victories in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m), Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1400m), Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) and Sunline Stakes (1600m), and the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) and National Stakes (1200m).