Starcraft Scores Outstanding Group 1 Victory

New Zealand bred Starcraft (Soviet Star x Flying Floozie) has flown the New Zealand flag high this weekend with an outstanding Group 1 victory over tough European competition in the Netjets Prix du Moulin (1600m) at Longchamp yesterday.

Starcraft fired from the stalls and dominated the nine horse field finishing two and a half lengths clear of Gorella with Majors Cast in third place.

This time last year, the New Zealand Bloodstock graduate had returned to his homeland in a quest to take out New Zealand richest race, the Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes in Hastings. In the lead up to this race, he won both the Group 1 Mudgway Stakes (1400m) and the Group 2 Stonybridge Stakes (1600m) while falling short of the million dollar Kelt Capital target.

This year has seen him travel further afield with even more success after his domination of the field in France yesterday. The Luca Cumani trained horse has come back from a recent stress fracture of the pelvis, contributing to the disappointing run in the Sandown Eclipse Stakes in July. In his only other outing in his European campaign he ran a gallant third to Valixir and Rakti in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Starcraft's fourth Group 1 success was in the Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) in Australia in 2004. He has an incredible race record of 10 wins from 20 starts, and has finished below third on only three occasions.

Starcraft was purchased at the 2002 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale by New Zealand bloodstock agent, Robt Dawe, for NZ$80,000 from his breeders, Waikato Stud. His dam, Flying Floozie was awarded Broodmare of the Year at New Zealand's annual Mercedes Thoroughbred Racing Awards, while Waikato Stud was awarded Breeder of the Year.

Starcraft is now to be aimed at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the Championship Stakes and the Breeders Cup.