Group One Victory for Jett Star in Pearl Classic

A display of speed and toughness to win the Group One Pearl Classic Final (2130m) launched Jett Star (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) to the top of Western Australia’s two-year-old ranks at Gloucester Park on Friday night. 

 

The Greg and Skye Bond trained pacer’s solo three-wide move in to the A$100,000 feature for two-year-old colts and geldings before the bell was not enough to stop him from chasing down the favourite, Lavra Joe, to remain unbeaten in four starts.

 

Jett Starr reeled off a sizzling 55.6sec last 800m, as the quinella-makers gapped the rest of the field in what was one of the best male two-year-old races of the season in Western Australia.

 

The son of Falcon Seelster mare, Steel The Light (NZ), has made giant bounds to reach the top of the two-year-old ranks in Western Australia.

 

Jett Star’s victory registered the first Group One win in Australia by a colt or gelding graduate of NZB Standardbred’s National Standardbred Yearling Sale.

 

The star pacer was purchased for $30,000 from Woodlands Stud by northern trainer Brent Mangos at the 2019 National Standardbred Yearling Sale in Auckland.

 

Mangos gave Jett Starr his early education before he was sent to Perth to join Team Bond’s stable of stars.

 

Driver Ryan Warwick admitted in his post-race interview that early in the horse’s career he was not convinced he would race as a juvenile.

 

However, Jett Star has not only progressed to the track, he has progressed to being the horse to beat in next month’s Group One Golden Slipper at Gloucester Park.

 

“His progression has been huge and you hear it a lot, but I think he will be even better at three,” the leading driver said.

 

Jett Star’s win was strikingly similar to that of fellow NZB Standardbred’s National Yearling Sales graduate Always An Angel’s (NZ) victory in the Two-Year-Old Fillies Diamond Classic (2130m) at Gloucester Park, earlier this month.

 

Both have shown off the speed and stamina of the New Zealand-bred by overcoming tough three-wide trips from second row draws to win their Group One events.

 

Woodlands Stud studmaster Tony Grayling described Jett Star as a compact and correct yearling, when he went through the auction ring in 2019.

 

“He was a lovely horse.

“Steel The Light is quite a big mare, but she doesn’t leave overly big foals.

“He was just a really nice yearling.”

 

Steel The Light is on her way to becoming a star producer for breeders Woodlands Stud.          

 

Jett Star’s full-brother, Steel The Show, has been brilliantly consistent for trainer Robert Dunn, winning three times and running top three placings in all of his seven starts.

 

A full-sister to both Jett Star and Steel The Show called Lady of the Night (NZ) offered on account of Woodlands Stud was knocked down to northern trainer Jeremy Young for $16,000 at the 2020 National Standardbred Yearling Sale.

 

Vendor	Woodlands Stud
Purchaser	Mr BM Mangos
Breeding	Bettor's Delight x Steel The Light
Sale	Lot 107, 2019 Auckland Sale, $30,000
Bred by	Woodlands Stud