Star Rolling has started a spring campaign on target to deliver the results his trainer expected from him 12 months ago.
In a driving finish to Saturday’s Group Two PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield, Star Rolling ($10) held off the fast-finishing import Spillway ($13) to claim the weight-for-age race by a short half-head.
Star Rolling, Stephen Baster
Both horses have the Caulfield Cup as their target and trainer Peter Morgan believes Star Rolling is ready to live up to his expectations.
“Last spring I reckon I had the best horse and we kept getting balloted out,” he said.
“It was a shame but when we came to autumn I didn’t have quite the same horse and he still ran good races against good horses.
“And I think I’ve got him back to how I had him last spring.”
Puissance De Lune, shooting for back-to-back Lawrence wins, was well tried to return with a victory after a long layoff.
But the $2.60 favourite was posted three-wide as the field settled before running on fairly to finish sixth.
Star Rolling sat outside leader Zamorar and hit the front at the top of the straight in his first start since finishing last in the Australian Cup.
Spillway came off his back and charged late but just missed, despite Star Rolling’s jockey Stephen Baster thinking he had lost.
David Hayes was thrilled with the return JRA Plate winner Spillway and the import will head to the Makybe Diva Stakes on his way to the Caulfield Cup.
Honest mare Gig ($11) finished 1-1/4 lengths away third with the Chris Waller-trained Foreteller warming up late for fourth.
The only Caulfield Cup winner to win the Lawrence, formerly Liston Stakes, was Sydeston in 1990.
But in 2004 Elvstroem came through the 1400-metre race before his Caulfield triumph.
Brad Rawiller reported Puissance De Lune felt well enough but lamented being posted deep.
“He needed to get cover to be able to unleash his turn of foot,” Rawiller said.
