All Stardom has made a fast start to his career and trainer Jerome Hunter is using the G3 Superior Foods Services Manfred S. to see how the gelding measures up against Group 1 performers Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and Aysar (Deep Field).
A dashing last-start winner on the course, All Stardom has been entered in the G1 Australian Guineas and whether he remains on that path will be determined by his next couple of performances.
“It’s not his grand final, but it will give us a good gauge where we stand against the better ones. Hopefully, he can get up over a bit of ground and he’s nominated for the Guineas,” said Hunter, who produced Zipping Boy (Squamosa) to win at Flemington on Friday.
“The next couple of starts he will really have to show he can match it with the best in Victoria to go to that type of race. You’ve got to be in it to win.
“It’s only a small field on Saturday and I don’t think there will be a lot of pressure. Fingers crossed, he will get every possible chance to show what he’s got.”
“Fingers crossed, he (All Stardom) will get every possible chance to show what he’s got.” – Jerome Hunter
All Stardom placed on soft ground in his first two appearances before breaking his maiden earlier this month.
“He was a bit unlucky in his first couple of starts because both times the tracks on the inside were the worst place to be. He should have won first-up when Craig Williams came down to ride him,” Hunter said.
“He trialled him and wanted to stay with him and then Jamie Kah trialled him and was impressed with his win at Caulfield and is staying with him.”
Watch: All Stardom win at Caulfield
Hunter is the private trainer for Graebar Park Principals Graeme and Barbara Gathercole who bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills bought All Stardom out of Vinery Stud’s draft for $90,000 at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
He is a son of the G3 Gold Coast Guineas winner Chakvetadze (Taimazov {Arg}) and all four of her foals to race have been successful.
“We’ve got the farm at Graebar Park and then about five years ago Graeme and Barbara Gathercole bought 10 acres right behind Mornington racecourse,” Hunter said.
“All the pre-trainers, breakers and yearlings are at the farm and, on average, we have about 25 horses in work. Graeme and Barbara are breeders and they have a lot of mares. There’s usually around 70 horses on the farm.”
All Stardom as a weanling
Stable in winning form
Hunter’s team has been in good recent form following further success on Friday with Zipping Boy and with Orphan’s Trust (Trust In A Gust).
“Zipping Boy is a good little trier and we'll see how far we can get with him. Orphan’s Trust is nominated for the (Australian) Guineas and she was very impressive when she won at Mornington on debut,” he said. “She’ll run at Sandown next week and off that last run should be hard to beat.”
Three-time winner Zipping Boy was bought for $26,000 at the Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale where he was offered by Brooklyn Park. He is out of an unraced half-sister to the G3 Maribyrnong Plate winner Husson Lightning (Hussonet {USA}).
Orphan’s Trust was also secured by Graebar Park from the lower end of the market, purchasing her out of Bucklee Farm’s consignment for $30,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. She is a grand-daughter of the G1 VRC Sires’ produce S. winner Not Related (Family Ties {USA}).
