Star Performance Gets NZB Spring WFA Championship Rolling

Promising galloper Star Rolling (Casino Prince) claimed first points in the New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship at Caulfield with a narrow victory in Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 Back to Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m).

Star Rolling racing to victory in the Group 2 'Back to Caulfield' P.B. Lawrence Stakes

Trainers Peter Morgan & Craig Widdison have always had a high opinion of Star Rolling with Saturday’s win the fifth from only 12 starts for the five-year-old.

“I think he is up to the best horses,” commented Morgan. “I think we have him back to how we had him last spring, I wasn’t happy with him in the autumn. He could acquit himself well this campaign.”

Drawn the outside barrier, Star Rolling had to work across the field to sit outside the leader leaving the back straight. The race was run at an even pace and the son of Casino Prince put his head in front early in the run home. International import Spillway (Rail Link) drove hard to make the finish close but Star Rolling fought hard to win by a short head.

“He did it a bit hard early, he did get a cheap sectional in the middle of the race but then got left in front a bit early in the straight and fought it right out.

“He will go to the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes and the Underwood Stakes then we will decide where we go for the rest of campaign after those two races.”

The victory was Star Rolling’s fifth career win and second at stakes level following success in the Listed Penang Trophy last spring. He has earned A$345,420 for his owners Mr B L Mathieson, Mrs J A Mathieson, Mr R Smith, Mr B W James & Mr T Payne.

Star Rolling has a strong New Zealand influence with his dam Uneasy by champion kiwi sire Zabeel, a prolific broodmare sire. Uneasy is out of multiple New Zealand stakes winner Frenetic (Truly Vain) who is a half-sister to triple Group 1 winner Fun on the Run (Racing is Fun).

Saturday’s win earned Star Rolling 10 points in the NZB Spring WFA Championship with Spillway receiving 8 points for finishing second and third placegetter Gig (Commands) collecting 6 points. Points are awarded to finishers fourth through to eighth as well.

Attention for the NZB Spring WFA Championship now turns to the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes, the first Group 1 on the Australian racing calendar run on 30 August.

To view the current leaderboard for New Zealand Bloodstock’s Spring WFA Championship at Caulfield, click here.