Saturday was a good day at the office for young Darley sire Astern, who posted a new stakes-winner in New Zealand and a debut winner at Morphettville in Adelaide.
Lightly raced Cambridge visitor Danger Strykes confirmed she has big future ahead of her with a comprehensive victory in the Listed John Turkington Forestry Ltd Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Whanganui on Saturday.
Handled confidently by rider Ryan Elliot, the Tony Pike-trained daughter of Astern settled nicely on the outer behind a hot speed set up by race favourite Taoiseach.
Angled into the clear at the 300m, Danger Strykes quickly dashed to the lead before holding out a late run from Ima Roca Bee to win by a neck, with Bellacontte making up good ground to finish third.
Pike, who was on track at Ellerslie, was delighted with the victory and the $8.70 win price on the totalisator.
“I can’t believe she blew out to that price as we were very confident she could win,” Pike said.
“She had gone a nice race back in February when she ran third on debut, as she was still a very weak filly at that stage.
“We put her aside and she has really strengthened up nicely.
“I gave her a trial at home last month that she won quite comfortably and I thought she had trained on well since then.
“She is a filly we have always liked and she did the job nicely today.”
Pike will now Danger Strykes back to the spelling paddock before looking ahead to some bigger spring targets.
“She was still a little green today as she pricked her ears when she hit the front and started gawking around,” he said.
“I don’t think she liked the track that much either as she was dipping and diving ,so she can go out again and we will bring her back for some of those early spring three-year-old filly features.”
The second stakes-winner for Astern, Danger Strykes is out of the stakes-placed Stryker mare She Is Stryking and hails from an extended family that includes Group I Caulfield Cup (2400m) placegetter Celestial Show.
Astern sired his eighth first crop winner when Somewatt Fabulous scored a comfortable debut win over 1250m for the Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable.
A Group I winning son of Medaglia D’Oro (USA), Astern stands at a fee of $16,500 this spring.
