Half-Sister to Red Striker at Karaka 2016

A promotion from second to first for up-and-coming sprinter Red Striker (NZ) (Red Giant) in the Listed $60,000 Hallmark Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day added value black-type to his family.

A half-sister by Postponed is catalogued at Lot 1350 at the 2016 Karaka Festival Sale from Westbury Stud.

Second across the post, stewards promoted Red Striker to first after Onlyarose (NZ) (One Cool Cat), who was first to the line, was deemed to have caused interference in the home straight.

The reversal meant trainer Jim Collett and his daughter Samantha won their first stakes race as a trainer-jockey partnership with the daughter of Red Giant - the second stakes winner by the Westbury Stud based stallion.

Outsider Onlyarose bounded out brilliantly from her barrier one position to set the pace, while Red Striker settled at the back of midfield rounding the home turn.

Onlyarose skipped clear turning for home and Red Striker found a nice passage through the middle and the two fought out a thrilling finish, with Onlyarose prevailing. But the two horses made contact in the straight with Onlyarose shifting outwards with 300m to run as they battled and the stewards found that Onlyarose had caused interference that affected Red Striker's chances with the margin only a head.

Topweight Irish Moon (NZ) (O'Reilly) finished third a further head back. The winning time was 1:09.18

Red Striker's victory was her fourth and along with eight placings from 14 starts has earned $94,600 in stakes.

The race guaranteed the winner automatic entry in the Group 1 $200,000 Railway Stakes (1200m) on New Year's Day but Collett indicated he will freshen Red Striker and prepare her for the Group 3 Darley Plate (1200m) on March 5 - BMW NZ Derby Day.

“She’s a special little horse with a big heart,” commented Collett. “We’ll have one race before the Darley Plate,” he added.

Red Striker was bred and owned by Gerry Harvey and was passed in at the 2013 Festival Sale from the Westbury Stud draft.

Out of a winning Encosta de Lago mare, Red Striker is closely related to dual Group 1 winning sprinter Atomic Force (Danehill Dancer) whose Group 1 victories include the Railway Handicap.