Sale-topping Starzand set for Ffos Las test as £230,000 purchase makes his debut

Our resident bloodstock experts profile the well-bred eyecatchers and expensive purchases set to grace the track.

STARZAND

3A's Motorhome Hire Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race (4.50 Ffos Las, Friday)

What's the story?

The top lot from January's Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale is set to make his debut for Philip Hobbs and Johnson White, who went to £230,000 to secure the five-year-old gelding for Gwent Holdings.

How's he bred?

Starzand's pedigree isn't outstanding; he's the second runner out of Phoenix Twist, a daughter of Kalanisi who won on the Flat at Bellewstown as a five-year-old. Her second foal – the six-year-old Court Cave gelding Before My Time – contested a five-year-old maiden last year so Starzand is her first winner.

Prior to his sale-topping turn at Cheltenham - where he was consigned by Baltimore House Stables for whom he won a four-year-old maiden on the second-last day of the year - he had been sold twice. 

He first went through the ring as a foal at Tattersalls Ireland where he was consigned by Boardsmill Stud and bought by Glenmore Farm for €18,000. Returning to the ring as a store, he was consigned by Springmount Stud and purchased for €21,000 by Baltimore Stables.

His debut came in a four-year-old maiden at Knockanard in February last year, in which he was runner-up to the JP McManus-owned Goraibhmaithagat, and he didn't run again till late December.

Phoenix Twist is a half-sister to Leopardstown Handicap Chase third Speaker Connolly, by Court Cave, and they are out of Kylebeg Dancer, who was a decent dual-purpose performer for Tom Hogan, earning her black type when third in a Listed novice hurdle at Huntingdon.

Richard Johnson signs for the sale-topping Starzand Credit: Debbie Burt

Harzand's stock is on the up with Hello Neighbour becoming his first Graded and Grade 1 winner with his victories in Leopardstown's Juvenile Hurdle at Christmas and the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. 

The Derby and Irish Derby victor, who stands at Kilbarry Lodge Stud, is also the sire of Group 3 Park Stakes and Listed Bluebell Stakes winner Caught U Looking, who made 1,800,000gns to Willingham at Tattersalls in December. Now a four-year-old, she was purchased by Willingham with the intention of following in the Australian hoofprints of Yulong's star buy from the December Sale – Via Sistina.

Who does he face?

Only five runners have been declared for the contest with two of them having already made their bumper debuts. Ben Pauling's Caliach Point is a Jukebox Jury half-brother to Drop The Anchor, who won the November Handicap for JP McManus and Pat Fahy while Jaja Jimmy, a five-year-old son of Linda's Lad, has run twice and is out of a half-sister to Group 1 Prix du Cadran winner Sergeant Cecil.

Ismail Mohammed's four-year-old Cracksman gelding Empire Day is having his first start and was bred by Rabbah Bloodstock out of Group 3 Prix Miesque winner Aquatinta, a half-sister to the second dam of Queen Mary winner Dramatised and multiple Graded winner Quatroelle.

Sam Thomas trained Ed Keeper to win twice over hurdles for Dai Walters and he starts Whiskey Yankee, that gelding's Hunter's Light full-brother, off in this race.

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