Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
On his third lifetime start, and running for the first time in blinkers, Fast Witness (Star Witness) flew home late to claim victory on the line in the Listed McKenzie S. on Saturday.
Fast Witness is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Fast Shanti, herself a winner over 1200 metres. With an attractive pedigree, Fast Shanti commanded $250,000 at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and was purchased by Duke for $54,000 at the 2018 Inglis Sydney Broodmare and Weanling Sale.
A sister to the stakes winner Rothesay, winner of the BRC Queensland Guineas, Fast Shanti was bought in foal to Deep Field, and Duke was delighted to secure her for that amount.
“I thought it was a bargain, Deep Field was an up-and-coming stallion… For the mare she was, with the page she had, I thought she was a good buy.”
Fast Witness is the result of the first of her matings under Duke’s charge. Now a 14-year-old, Fast Shanti had previously visited a variety of stallions in her career as a broodmare, such as So You Think (NZ), Pierro, Sebring and Dissident.
However, Duke had Star Witness planned as a first mating before the purchase of Fast Shanti and said that it was a cross that looked to really suit the mare.
“It was conformation that suited her and genetics – it was a good cross for her,” Duke explained. “She’s a nice-looking mare, but Star Witness has a bit more rump about him and a bit more growth, very much like the (resulting) foal. She just needed that bit more bone and body in her.”
“She’s (Fast Shanti) a nice-looking mare, but Star Witness has a bit more rump about him and a bit more growth, very much like the (resulting) foal. She just needed that bit more bone and body in her.” - Sean Duke
“When we were buying her, we thought, ‘Where could we go with this mare to improve the genetic pool and her conformation?’”
Fast Witness didn’t make his debut racecourse appearance until mid-July this year, but this was due in part to Duke encouraging his trainers to take their time with the horse.
“We didn’t want him to race as a 2-year-old… I’m more like the Europeans. Most of my mares are European-crossed mares… We were breeding a 1400-metre horse,” said Duke.
“He’s not a racey type, so we just let him grow out a bit, strengthen up a bit and gave him plenty of time. I encouraged them to give him plenty of time.”
Sean Duke and Barry Bowditch | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
However, he had impressed his handlers at home well in advance of his debut and hence in 2021 Fast Shanti was served again by Star Witness, and is due to foal in a few weeks’ time. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fast Shanti is due to be covered by Star Witness again this year.
Raw but talented
With Duke preferring to let his trainers guide him when it comes to race planning, Ciaron Maher told TDN AusNZ that Fast Witness has a number of options ahead of him as he continues to mature.
“He’s very raw and still very much just doing it on raw ability without really knowing what he’s doing,” reported the trainer. “He’s a lovely, big, scopey horse who has a natural stride and a good attitude with the shades on.”
“He’s (Fast Witness) very raw and still very much just doing it on raw ability without really knowing what he’s doing. He’s a lovely, big, scopey horse who has a natural stride and a good attitude with the shades on.” - Ciaron Maher
Having tried the addition of blinkers at home, Maher said he noted a definite change in the horse’s manner which inclined him to keep them on for his latest race.
“Even though he won last start I was very disappointed,” he said. “I expected him to win quite easily, but he got off the bit, he got lost and I thought he needed focus.
“He’s a young colt who has a good look around anyway, and he definitely had more focus in his work.”
Despite the improvement in his work at home, the trainer still thought that the horse might require more experience, and was far from certain that he’d win heading into Saturday.
David Eustace and Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“We knew he’d handle the wet, and it was no surprise that he did that. But I thought even with the blinkers on and being at The Valley, the race might come a bit quick for him.”
This being a reflection of an as-yet unfinished article, according to Maher, who inferred that there is a huge amount of improvement to come as the horse matures.
“He doesn’t know how to let down (yet), which seems funny (to say) when he won a stakes race, but I think he’s still very raw and working out what it’s all about.”
Options abound for a rising Star
Fast Witness’ sire, Star Witness, has already produced a Guineas winner in the shape of Global Glamour, who took out the Caulfield event just a week after landing the G1 Flight S. at Randwick in 2016.
Star Witness | Standing at Widden Victoria
With that horse being the sire’s single Group 1 winner to date, Maher said his latest rising star could be similarly high-class, though an elite-level target has yet to be finalised.
“He looks at the moment as though he’ll get over a bit of ground, but I think that’s just because of his quality and that he doesn’t know what he’s doing… the Danehill is probably a good option to see him down the straight; I really think the 1200 (metres) down the straight will suit him.”
But being so raw, Maher said the horse’s options are open for future targets and that his training could be tailored to suit a couple of different routes.
“You could basically train him either way; he’s a bit like Merchant Navy was at the same stage. Merchant Navy… had done a bit more as a 2-year-old, but he was at that point where he could either have gone to a Guineas or be freshened up and go to a Coolmore.”
“You could basically train him (Fast Witness) either way; he’s a bit like Merchant Navy was at the same stage. Merchant Navy… had done a bit more as a 2-year-old, but he was at that point where he could either have gone to a Guineas or be freshened up and go to a Coolmore.” - Ciaron Maher
“Whether he gets a mile or not, he probably does just on class. It wouldn’t surprise me if he is a speed horse down the track.”
A bumper day for the stable
The Maher/Eustace stable sent out 10 runners on Saturday, returning with an incredible 50 per cent strike rate. Whilst Fast Witness was the most notable highlight, further stakes success came in the form of the tough Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai).
Bella Nipotina (black and white cap) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
With victory in the Listed Carlyon S. kicking off her season, the 5-year-old mare may now head down a similar route to last season in an attempt to make amends for her marginal defeat in the G1 Manikato S. back at Moonee Valley.
“She was very good in the Manikato (last year),” said Maher. “The (G1) Moir (S.) and the Manikato are probably the races for her. She may go to a Group 2 in Sydney in a few weeks, she has options, but the Manikato would be the race for her.”
Another winner for the team was Mankayan (Ire) (Intello {Ger}), who has been remarkably consistent since arriving in Australia from Charlie Fellowes’ UK base. He has only finished outside of the placings on one occasion since then, with a host of placings in top handicaps as well as the G3 Hotham S. supporting his three victories last season.
Saturday’s win could mark the beginning of a big season for the stayer, with the trainer commenting that he saw a change in the horse when he came in for this preparation.
“He’s been fantastic,” said Maher. “…he’s just so much better this time around. Physically, he’s got a lot more condition on him. He’s a very genuine horse. He was very good last year…he sustained a really good prep. But he’s just come back a bigger, stronger version.”
Adding in the victory of Mayfair Spirit (Ire) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), the Maher/Eustace team notched an impressive four winners at Moonee Valley. With the Frankel (GB) gelding Impulsar (Ire) also scoring at Randwick, it was a great day all round for trainers.
