WINNER: Astari Shines

Deserving of additional victory, Astari (4 g Starspangledbanner – Belzella, by Bel Esprit) won the A$22,000 Hygain Edge Benchmark 56 1000 metres on 30 August at Echuca (Victoria).

Appearing a natural juvenile type, Astari raced once as a late two-year-old and resumed at three with a strong finish to win over 1100 metres at Traralgon, before running on gamely for second at his next start up in grade.

A consistent performer, Astari found the line without threatening in the Benchmark 62 1100 metres on 3 August at Pakenham (poly-track), and brought the right form to race well.

With apprentice Liana Wood (a3) claiming to 58.5kg, Astari camped on the leaders, seized a gap entering the home straight and kept finding when drawing out to a winning advantage inside the 200m.

“Mark (Walker) and Ben (Gleeson) have been huge supporters of me and a dream come true riding that winner for them,” Wood said.

“I’ve been helping them out with a lot of track work for the last three years, so happy to see that my hard work has paid off.

“I thought I had him (Astari) in a perfect position. I wasn’t sure if he was going to let down, but he flew the last little bit and I gave him a yell to keep going.

“Dad (Greg) is my biggest supporter and I’m so lucky to have a dad like him. I know he’ll be watching.”

On Soft7 footing, Astari ran 1000 metres in 1:01.4 and paid $4.00 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“It was really good to get another win with Astari and a nice ride of Liana’s,” Walker said. “She rides track work for us, so it’s nice to reward her with a winner, as she’s been doing the work for Te Akau. 

“It was the first grass run this prep for Astari, after he’d had a couple of runs on the synthetic. He’s been ticking over really well and we’ve just been waiting for the right opportunity to get him back on grass racing. It’s just been a matter of getting the right Melbourne weather. 

“It’s a good team effort from everyone at home.”

“The owners are a great bunch of people. They’ve been very patient with him. We’d scratched him a couple of times, but found the right race, today, and got the right ride and run. 

“He’s a contented and happy horse, had been racing well and I think the win will give him the confidence to keep going well."

Astari is by outstanding racehorse and sire Starspangledbanner (Choisir), sire of nearly 1800 wins, including 115 stakes' wins, after winning the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (1200m), Group 1 July Cup (1200m), and Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), to become Champion Sprinter in both Europe and Australia. 

His dam, Belzella (Bel Esprit), won four times to 1200 metres and Group Three placed over 1000 metres, and Astari is her first to race.

Astari is owned by Mr S R Wicks, Mr C D Nichols, Mr R Crabbe, Mr A K Cross, Mr H Mitchell, Mr P Michael, Mr J S Bock, Mr J R Date, Mr D G Evans, Mr D Inns, Mr A J Ladd, Mr C Adams, Mrs N Muley, Mr A Muley, Mr D A Nichols, Mr R J Schmidtke, Mr G J Trott, Mr B J Roche, and Mr T Hale. 

There is no doubt regarding his genuineness and desire to compete and he certainly appears capable of winning more races. 

Astari was strapped by Wendy Daniels.