Starspangledbanner Juvenile Progresses To Group 3 Glory

Starzintheireyes (2c Starspangledbanner – Crystal Hope, by Nathaniel) produced a smart performance on his third start to win Saturday’s Group 3 Zetland Stakes at Newmarket.

Runner-up on debut, Ralph Beckett’s promising colt went one better last month, with both those starts coming over seven furlongs. Stepping up to ten furlongs on his third start, the chesnut was held up by Rossa Ryan and began to make headway from over three furlongs out. Ridden from the two furlong pole, he led in the final 110 yards and kept on to score by a length.

“He did it well,” Ryan noted. “They went a good honest gallop the whole way and on this ground I thought he'd outbattle everything if it comes down to it. He's a big stayer, a big galloping horse. He's gonna grow up a lot from two to three, physically he's all there, mentally he's coming slowly but he's nowhere near the end destination.”

Starzintheireyes was bought by McCalmont Bloodstock as a foal for 160,000gns and now carries the colours of Marc Chan. The son of Starspangledbanner was bred by Southcourt Stud and hails from the family of Crystal Ocean.