Amazing Star (NZ) (Darci Brahma) produced a stellar performance at Happy Valley on Wednesday, coasting to an eased-down four and a half-length victory in the Class 3 Venus Handicap (1200m).
“He surprised me how easy he won. I thought he’d win but not by that far,” jockey Zac Purton said.
“He’s had a lot of time off so he’s been able to develop and furnish into a nice horse. His best asset is his gate speed and he cruises along at a nice tempo as well and he gave me a good kick.”
The Jimmy Ting-trained five-year-old won one from six in his first season – for his previous handler Chris So – but returned from a set-back last term with two below par efforts. A further injury side-lined the Darci Brahma gelding until a winning return last month and after this latest success he looks set to rise to the Class above.
“I think he’ll still have a chance in Class 2 because he’ll have a light weight but the horses in that Class are much faster so it might be difficult,” Ting said.
“Last season he disappointed but I still thought he had potential. I believed he could win but not as easily as this.”
