Inglis graduate Fiveandahalfstar continued the dominance of Australian-bred three-year-olds in the nation’s weight-for-age feature events when holding off all challengers in the G1 BMW Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill.
Fiveandahalfstar (3g Hotel Grand – Cryptic Miss by Snippets) led from start to finish to join All Too Hard, Super Cool and Pierro as (Aus) three-year-olds to win Australian Group 1 weight-for-age events this year.
“He is a great horse, he is a proper horse, he has really furnished in to a top line thoroughbred,” jockey Hugh Bowman said. “His form speaks for itself and he thoroughly deserved the win.
“Kelinni strode up alongside us and poured on the pressure but I just held on and let my horse go through his gears. It’s a great feeling and a privilege. He will do it again in the Australian Derby.”
Fiveandahalfstar won the G1 Victoria Derby in the spring and the BMW bumped his bank balance to $2.60 million for part-owner, breeder and trainer Anthony Cummings.
Cummings prepared his sire Hotel Grand (Grand Lodge) to Group 1 victories in the AJC Spring Champion Stakes and Randwick Guineas. He retired to Racetree in 2007 but died from a colic attack at the Innisplain based stud in February 2012.
Fiveandahalfstar was syndicated among a stable partnership that includes Julia Ritchie and Hal Dyball and he has now earned over $2.60 million. “I did put him through the 2011 Inglis Classic yearling sale but there wasn’t much interest,” Cummings recalled. “He’s got a bold running style, much like his old man.”
Cummings also took his Fastnet Rock half-sister home after she failed to reach a $300,000 reserve at the 2012 Inglis Easter yearling sale. She has been named Wordplay and is ready to debut after trialling at Warwick Farm last month.
– Karl Patterson