Blue Diamond Goal for Starspangled Filly

Exciting filly Brooklyn Hustle (2f Starspangledbanner x Joint Aspiration, by Pivotal) looked a star in the making when scoring a dazzling last to first debut win at Moonee Valley on Saturday with the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes next year her immediate goal in the short term.

A powerhouse chestnut, just like her famous sire and his sire Choisir, Brooklyn Hustle was a standout in the mounting yard and performed accordingly, although it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

The Jason Warren trained filly missed the start from gate one after the field experienced a delay in the barriers, so Beau Mertens was forced to rider her patiently and she settled last in the early stages of the 1000 metre sprint.

Not many juveniles can overcome that sort of disadvantage, but it proved no hurdle to Brooklyn Hustle and when she found clear ground in the straight the race was over. She lengthened stride and demolished her rivals to win going away by two lengths over Rubick colt Yes Yes Yes in an eye-catching display.

“The best word to describe that was ‘wow!” said Beau Mertens.

“She missed the start, but when she got clear running she really let down and proved what she can do.”

Jason Warren was delighted with the performance and has Group I plans for Brooklyn Hustle.

“She’s always shown us more than an above average two year-old,” Warren said.“She wasn’t wound up today, it was only a very soft trial at Cranbourne on Monday. She’s very good, I’m just not sure how good. She has a hell of a lot of upside.

“The Blue Diamond is the plan. She’ll go back to Rosemont Stud on Monday for a short break and have a few weeks ticking over on the water walker before she comes back to us.”

Bred and retained to race by Rosemont Stud, Brooklyn Hustle is a half-sister to the dam of Italian stakes-winner Gold Tail and is the second winner for US stakes-winner Joint Aspiration (GB), a Pivotal mare from the family of Group I winning sprinter Red Clubs.

Rosemont Stud stood Starspangledbanner earlier in his career before his fertility improved and he is now based at Coolmore where he stands in Australia at a fee of $11,000 and also shuttles back to Ireland.

Starspangledbanner has four entries for 2019 Magic Millions, six for Inglis Classic and six for Inglis Premier.