Jockey Brad Rawiller says unbeaten import Fifty Stars ticked another box with his all-the-way win at Sandown.
Graduating from victories at Warrnambool at his first two starts, Fifty Stars claimed his first city success taking out the Polytrack Handicap on Wednesday.
Rawiller held pre-race concerns following Fifty Stars’ antics when going onto the track at Warrnambool prior to his latest win on May 3.
“He nearly got away from me going to the barriers,” Rawiller said.
“I ended up having to get a lead and I had the back up of a lead today in case he fired up, but he was walking around without a problem.
“He’s a colt and there was every chance he could have been worse today, but he wasn’t.”
Rawiller said it wasn’t the intention to lead Wednesday’s race but realised 200m after the start the race was over.
He said the colt, who was bred in Ireland, was relaxed but more importantly possesses a good turn of foot.
“I know he’s a better chaser but he ticked a big box today stepping up in class as he made things happen up in the weights,” Rawiller said.
“He’s a smart horse. He shouldn’t have been able to win the other day with what he did wrong.
“He’s still six months behind the other three-year-olds and he’s still got to furnish.
“He’s probably not going to grow too much but he’s going to get stronger.”
Rawiller has also been associated with trainer Darren Weir’s other imported three-year-old Furrion who after winning his first three starts was beaten for the first time at Caulfield on Saturday.
Rawiller said Furrion was a progressive stayer, a 2400m type, while Fifty Stars is likely to be a smart miler.
Fifty Stars was one of four winners for Weir who also combined with Rawiller to win the final race with Heavenly Thought.
Weir’s other winners were Euroman and Hectopascal, each ridden by apprentice Ethan Brown.
Brown has ridden 41 winners for the season and sits third on the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership, four behind leader Craig Williams.
