Jimmysstar has solidified his position as the best sprinter-miler in the country, successful in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
With the race moved from early February to the end of Spring, this was the second running of the Orr Stakes in 2025, and trainer Ciaron Maher has won them both.
Successful with Another Wil some nine months ago, his old sparring partner Jimmysstar continued his outstanding Spring with a relatively fuss-free victory in the final Group 1 of the Melbourne Spring.
Jumping well under Ethan Brown, $1.75 favourite Jimmysstar drifted back in the field but held a key positional advantage over $3.50 danger Angel Capital who settled last.
Chris Waller’s colt ran on well but never seriously threatened Jimmysstar, beaten a length into second, with a further length back to third favourite Evaporate ($5.50) in third.
Maher said he was always confident in Jimmysstar being able to back up a heavy track win in the Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) last start in Sydney, suggesting he was only just getting to his pet distance.
“He’s a ripper,” Maher said.
“I was so confident over the last couple of weeks with him.
“I know he’d had a few runs in big races but we only keep him fresh enough to run at six (furlongs) and he was better at 6½ and I knew he’d be better today.
“Browny just rides him so well. He was in the driver’s seat most of the way. He’s got a great rapport with him and he’s a great fella.
“I can’t thank my team enough. He’s been to Sydney for a long time and he’s come down to Melbourne seamlessly.
“You can just see the confidence in the horse. He could have led the race and looked like it early.
“Ethan, over the past two years, you can see how much confidence (he had) and they are similar in how they’ve grown in confidence together.”
The win marked Maher’s 60th Group 1 winner having achieved exactly half of that number in conjunction with former training partner David Eustace, while Brown notched up his 10th Group 1 win and second aboard Jimmysstar, whom the jockey said is his ‘favourite horse’.
“By far (my favourite), he’s such a beauty,” Brown said.
“It is well publicised, my love for him and it is obvious why. He is the ultimate professional.
“He gives me such an amazing feeling and he’s such a good horse.”
