STATUE’S STAR GRABS GROUP ONE

Sometimes a horse will live up to his or her name.
Golden Star is definitely one of them.
The Aussie bred son of Statue of Liberty absolutely trounced them in the Chairman’s Challenge-G1 at Taipa in Macau on Saturday (17 April), winning by over seven lengths in the 1200m scamper.
Jumping from the gates as if the ghost riders were on his hammer, Golden Star raced truly to the home straight before unleashing a powerful burst over the last two furlongs.
Hailing from the winning Snaadee mare, Anley, and closely related to Group winning sprinter Friday Creek, Golden Star (below) was sent to the Macau stables of Pat Lee last year and commenced racing in August, finishing a neck second on debut.
The Statue of Liberty 4YO then peeled off five successive wins (all of them by margins) … leading from go to whoa.
Despite a sixth in late January – the only time he’s finished out of a place – Golden Star was back on track with a comfortable win, followed by a sharp second to Ecstatic Macau (a Group One winner at his next star) before his seven panel romp on Saturday.
On the other side of the equator, Solchow went close to making it a stakes double for Statue of Liberty when second to Catapulted in the DC McKay Stakes-G3 over 1100m at Morphettville.
Solchow has been the model of consistency – a real trait with the Statue of Libertys (eg. Mic Mac, winner of seven of his first eight starts, Hay List, nine from 10) – and has now raced on 21 occasions for six wins and nine placings: five of those wins in town and three stakes placings.
Interestingly, Solchow’s dam Triple Salchow is by Citidancer who is, in turn, a son of Lomond (Northern Dancer x My Charmer), while Statue of Liberty’s dam, Charming Lassie is by Seattle Slew (Bold Reasoning x My Charmer).
However, it’s fair to say that Statue of Liberty – by world champion sire Storm Cat, from one of the strongest families in the Stud Book – possesses one of the most ‘matchable’ pedigrees you’ll find.
The win of Golden Star took Statue of Liberty’s list of black type winners to seven (along with 10 stakes placegetters) and surely Hay List (now in the stable of John McNair) will add to the tally when he returns to racing.
Meanwhile, Mic Mac – a 3-time stakes winner and third, when resuming, in the TJ Smith Stakes-G1 at Randwick on 10 April, is due to line up in the time honored All Aged Stakes-G1 this Saturday.