5 WIN WEEKEND: Sword of Stars Shines Brightly

Making it five wins in 24 hours and backed as unbeatable ($1.40), Sword Of Stars (3 f Sword Of State – Angelica Hall, by Guillotine) rightly won the $25,000 Property Brokers Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on Phar Lap Centennial Day (4 Oct.) at Timaru.

Months in the planning, the day dawned bright and track good to celebrate the birthday of local hero Phar Lap (Night Raid), who was born on 4 October 1926 just up the road at Seadown.

Continuing a terrific weekend for the stable, after three wins on Saturday at Matamata, and one at Hawera, where Te Akau homebred mare Qali Al Farrasha (Almanzor) won the Group 3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m), Sword Of Stars brought the right form to prove tough. 

Placed in two of four as a two-year-old, Sword Of Stars had staged a big run for third after getting back from an outside draw (14) when resuming in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) on 12 September at Riccarton, won by stable-mate Sweetest Thing (Hello Youmzain).

Sword of Stars was ridden by Michael McNab, who won three on the day, a day beforehand at Matamata, and who leads the ranks while riding in career best form. She situated in midfield, travelled well turning for home and once clear inside the 400m, she quickly asserted her dominance. 

Cutting a pretty picture to score by two lengths of Soft5 footing, she ran 1200 metres in 1:11.1 and last 600m in 34.2 (approx.).

“It was a really nice win, today, and lovely ride of Michael’s,” said Mark Walker, training partner with Sam Bergerson.

“It was a timely win and sets up nicely for her to contest the Group 3 War Decree Stakes (1400m), back at Riccarton on 23 October, as a lead-up to the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas (1600m) on 7 November. 

“To win like she did should give her a great deal of confidence. She raced well in good fields last season and she’s going in the right direction.

“It’s always exciting to win races with progeny by stallions that Te Akau has purchased and trained, and Sword Of State is doing a great job at Cambridge Stud.

“The filly has a really good ownership group and it nice to see her rewarding them after showing good potential.”

Owned by the Te Akau Stately Hall Racing Partnership (Mgr: Lady Karyn Ellis MNZM), Sword Of Stars was purchased by Sir David Ellis for $350,000, from the draft of Windsor Park Stud, at the 2025 Karaka Book 1 Sale.

At the time of purchase, Ellis said: “I’ve known this Schick family all my racing life and it’s a privilege to buy such a lovely filly by Sword Of State out of a mare we trained for Windsor Park Stud.

“We knew how good Angelica Hall was, she had a terrific turn of foot. This filly had kept on improving since we first inspected her. She has a great walk, typical of the best in the family, and looked a two-year-old type that will continue to train on as she develops.”

Ellis added: “It looks like a great day for the races in Timaru, and a special day for us because my wife, Karyn, was raised and educated there and she’s a very proud South Cantabrian.

“It was a really good win by Sword Of Stars and it puts her on a path towards the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas which is a great early season goal for the better fillies.  We certainly think she's a great contender for the stable's eighth 1000 Guineas' title.

“Having a filly like her, from a family like this, is just fantastic and I’m thrilled for the owners. She looks like she’s got a good racing career ahead of her before being a sought-after broodmare.

“Sam (Bergerson) was in Christchurch on Friday for our regular inspections of our Riccarton team and reported how well this filly looked, he was very confident she would perform today. It’s great for Hunter (Durrant), who manages our South Island stable at Riccarton, he is doing an outstanding job leading our southern team and we’re very proud to have got a winner on such a prestigious day.”

Sire Sword Of State was purchased by Sir David as a yearling on the Gold Coast. He won won four of five starts, including the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), before being named Champion Two-Year-Old. He now stands at Cambridge Stud, and Sword Of Stars was from his first crop.

She comes from a gifted, athletic family of racehorses, with trademark ability to accelerate/quicken in races, and one renowned for producing not only a solid number of Group One winners but also a host of quality stakes' winners.

Trained by Te Akau for Windsor Park, her dam Angelica Hall is from one of the best female families in the stud book, and she impressed winning on debut over 1200 metres.

Lightly raced, Angelica Hall won twice over 1200 metres and placed in both the Group 3 Mr Tiz Trophy (1200m) and Listed Fairdale/Goodwood Stud Handicap (1400m). She has also proved herself as a broodmare, leaving six individual winners of 18 races, including triple stakes' winner Angelic Miss (Savabeel).

Grand-dam Greta Hall, by top Sir Tristram sire son Kaapstad, won three times in stakes' races. She is a half-sister to Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) winner Golden Sword (Kaapstad), and the dams of former Windsor Park stallion Falkirk, and Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) winner Royal Descent (Danehill).

From third dam, broodmare sensation Lovenvain (Vain), high-quality racehorses Balmoral Keep (Balmerino), Falkirk (Tale of the Cat), Golden Sword (Kaapstad), Madam Valeta (Palace Music), and Mulan Princess (Kaapstad) stemmed, to ensure one of the best families for Windsor Park.

Sword Of Stars was strapped by Phoebe Moon. 

Photo credit - Tayler Strong - www.raceimages.co.nz