I Am a Star (NZ) Back in Winning Form

After returning to top form with an outstanding win in Friday night’s A$200,000 Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley, Group 1 mare I Am A Star (NZ) (I Am Invincible) has now earned 100 times her purchase price at Karaka.

Bought by Llanhennock Trust at the 2014 National weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale for $12,000, Friday night’s win was her seventh from 19 career starts and lifted her prizemoney earnings to A$1.188 million (NZ$1.3 million).

I Am A Star had been unplaced in her first three runs this spring, but bounced back to her very best on Friday night with a front-running win by half a length under jockey Ben Melham.

“She's been running well,” trainer Shane Nichols said. “She just needed to be in the right race, with the right weight, and Ben took control of the race.

“It wasn't a big margin, but she'll still improve off that and her second run at the mile (this preparation) will be better than the first one.”

A daughter of the Dixieland Band mare Star Band, I Am A Star was bred by Laurence Eales.

Star Band also went through the 2014 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, selling to Mr CM Gray for $2,000.