Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds have enjoyed success at the highest level with Foxwedge mare Foxplay and were back in the frame with another daughter of the Newgate Farm foundation sire when Noire captured the Group II ATC Shannon Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
Prepared by Chris Waller, five year-old mare Noire is somewhat of a late bloomer having not started racing until her three year-old season with a patient approach clearly now paying dividends.
A close last start second to her stable mate Invincibella (also owned by Star Thoroughbreds) in the Group II ATC Sheraco Stakes, Noire was favourite for this 1500 metre contest with a step up in distance and return to good ground expected to prove to her liking.
She hit the line hard for Tommy Berry to win by a neck taking her overall record to an impressive seven wins and five placings from 15 starts with prizemoney in excess of $450,000.
The performance put her right into calculation for the Group I ATC Epsom Handicap next Saturday with bookmakers slashing her price for the feature 1600 metre handicap.
“It was a good run last start. She got bobbed out in a photo finish by one of Denise’s other horses (Invincibella) so fortunately these owners got the spoils today,” Waller said.
“It was a good, tough win. She’s come from last, she came around the outside and finished off as you like to see.
“She is a five-year-old so she is certainly a latecomer. She has always showed us enough ability and hasn’t been overraced. She is thriving.”
A $135,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Star from the Highgrove Stud draft, Noire is a half-sister to stakes-placed Global Dream, Maraatib and Valoura and is the best of seven winners from good producer Valadon, a half-sister to Group II winners Timbourina and Media.
Noire is the tenth stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s Foxwedge, who has developed into a reliable source of winners and quality stakes horses with three Group I winners in his tally of stakes-winners – Foxplay, Volpe Veloce and Urban Fox.
He represents great value as a proven son of champion sire Fastnet Rock standing at a fee of $22,000.