Megastar Heart digs deep for stakes success

[Wandering Eyes]

Last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run sale-topper Megastar Heart secured a black-type victory in his fourth start with a relentless performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed SEN Oxlade Stakes (1300m) at Eagle Farm.

The two-year-old Star Turn colt was offered by KB Bloodstock at Karaka in November, where he was bought by Hong Kong’s Pato Leung for $825,000.

Megastar Heart kicked off his career with a second placing at Kembla Grange in April and a win on Randwick’s Kensington track on May 15. He was thrown in at the deep end for the Gr.2 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm for his third start on June 1, where he finished eighth after pressing forward from a wide gate.

Drawn well out again in gate 13 among Saturday’s 14-horse field, Megastar Heart was backed into warm favouritism at $3.10.

Jockey James McDonald was unable to get closer than three wide at any stage of the journey, but Megastar Heart nevertheless cruised into contention after rounding the home turn.

Embassy burst through along the inside and threw down an almighty challenge, but Megastar Heart lived up to his name and kept fighting to snatch victory by a head.

“He was really good, that was a very tough effort today,” McDonald said. “He kept his momentum building and was strong late, so he’s a nice horse. I think the second horse is pretty good too and it was a good battle down the straight. It bodes well for the future for both horses.”

Megastar Heart is trained by Annabel Neasham and has now earned A$139,850 from his four-start, two-win career.

“It was always going to be tricky from that draw today,” Neasham said. “But it was a very good win and he’s a beautiful colt. I’ve just got to persuade his owner to keep him in Australia for another year, rather than whisking him off to Hong Kong now.

“I think he’ll be better again next year. He’s just very natural and a really, really nice colt. I’ll be interested to hear what James thinks of him, because he’s obviously ridden a lot of the nice two-year-olds.

“I’d say this one is right up there with the nicest two-year-olds that I’ve had.”

Megastar Heart became the eighth stakes winner for the Star Witness stallion Star Turn, who stands at Vinery Stud.

The colt’s dam is the winning Foxwedge mare Commonwealth. Second dam Our Pride and Joy is a half-sister to the New Zealand-bred multiple Group One winner Criterion.

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