Starspangledbanner became the second Australian-bred winner of the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes when emulating his sire Choisir at the famous Royal Ascot carnival on Saturday.

While the King’s Stand Stakes has proven to be rich pickings for Australian horses, the Golden Jubilee has been more elusive, with no horse having won since Choisir in 2003.

Starspangledbanner (3c Choisir – Gold Anthem by Made Of Gold) was able to change that trend with a sustained burst of speed over the 1200 metres straight course.  The colt proved a wonderful investment for the Corsten family’s Newmarc Bloodstock.  Leon and Troy Corstens secured him from Tony Santic’s Makybe draft for $120,000 at the 2008 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale.

The colt was on-sold to Coolmore Stud earlier this season after a front-running victory in the Caulfield Guineas.  He responded to score a gutsy success in the G1 Oakleigh Plate during the autumn carnival.

Starspangledbanner was transferred to the stables of Aidan O’Brien and, like Haradasun before him, was able to reproduce his Group 1 Australian form in O’Brien’s Ballydoyle stables.

His sire Choisir (Danehill Dancer) was a $55,000 graduate of the 2001 Inglis Classic Sale in Sydney and he paved the way for Australian success at the Royal Ascot carnival.  His son will join him on the Coolmore Australia roster this year, once his European campaign has concluded.

Starspangledbanner’s ability to run a strong mile, combined with his brilliant speed, proved to be the perfect ingredients for success up the tough Ascot 1200m straight on the final day of the Royal Ascot meeting.

He simply proved too fast and further underlined the brilliance and toughness of sprinters bred in Australia.  He is expected to train on to the July Cup next month, attempting to go one better than his sire Choisir, who ran second at his final race start in 2003.