Seventh Stakes Success For Son Of Starspangledbanner

Saturday saw Home of The Brave (8g Starspangledbanner - Blissful Beat, by Beat Hollow) carry top weight to victory in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap at Flemington.

Racing over six furlongs, James Cummings’ charge was ridden to track the leaders by Damien Oliver and was ridden approaching the final furlong. Making headway to lead close home, he scored by three parts of a length from the favourite Great Again, with another half a length back to Game Keeper (Fastnet Rock) in third.

Saturday marked a deserved return to winning ways for the Godolphin-owned bay, who finished second in the 2018 running on his Australian debut. He went on to win a Group 2 on his next start, adding to five Stakes successes in the UK.

Bred by Ecurie du Grand Chene, Home Of The Brave hails from the impressive first crop of Starspangledbanner, which also included Royal Ascot winning two-year-olds Anthem Alexander and The Wow Signal, with the latter also scoring at Group 1 level. Starspangledbanner sired his second Group 1 winner last season when Millisle captured the Cheveley Park Stakes. The globetrotting son of Choisir commanded €22,500 at Castlehyde Stud in 2020.