Monday, 19th January 2026
All enquiries - Gary Knowles 0406 599 773
Widden Stud's Victorian-based stallion Star Witness (Starcraft) achieved the rare feat of claiming the Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes-Gr1 Coolmore Stud Stakes double, effectively capturing the two key 2YO and 3YO sprints in Melbourne. Boasting progeny earnings over $73 million and an incredible century of individual winners during the past 6 racing seasons, he is nothing if not fantastically reliable. Eleven of his progeny have earned $1 million or more, and that figure looks set to rise if Saturday's Listed Cap D'Antibes heroine Bellatrix Star continues on her expected path for Te Ajkau Racing's Cranbourne stable. Snaring a valuable black type in Australia on Saturday with an impressive come-from-behind victory in the $175,000 feature sprint (1100m) at Flemington, nzb.co.nz reports Bellatrix Star was offered by Phoenix Park in Book 1 of Karaka 2023, where David Ellis and Fortuna Racing bought her for $80,000. She has now had seven starts for three wins, two placings and $310,757 in stakes. Trained by Te Akau Racing's Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, Bellatrix Star kicked off her career with a smart win in the season-opening juvenile race at Wanganui in September of last year. She later went on to capture the Gr2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe, beating subsequent Group 1 winners Move To Strike (I Am Invincible) and Velocious (Written Tycoon). In her only start after that win, she ran a creditable fourth in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). Bellatrix Star's latest stakes triumph was highly satisfying result for Walker, who will now point the filly towards the $200,000 Gr3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 27. Star Witness is compelling value at $8,800 for the 2024 season at Widden Victoria.
