HORSE RACING

MATT Laurie’s promising three-year-old Five Star Decanter continued his unbeaten record on Sunday 28 March with a strong win at Sale.

Bringing up his second win over 1200m, the gelded son of Roc De Cambes came from the rear of the field to reel in his rivals in the final stages of the race to win by half-of-a-head. The Patrick Payne-trained Mccain finished in second with the race-favourite Phillip Stokes-trained Keep On Bopping finishing a length away in third.

Mornington-based trainer Matt Laurie was glad to see his promising stayer settle better in his race.

“We’ve kept him to the furlong because he can be a little bit keen and he’s a horse with a pedigree that suggests he’ll get further so we’re just trying to make sure that he relaxes,” Laurie said. “He did come back, he got a little bit wobbly coming into the turn and I got a little bit worried but he rallied well and I was happy to see him win. He’s probably ready to step up in distance now.”

Following the victory, Laurie said a 1400m contest at Caulfield in a fortnight could be the next target if the gelding pulls up well.

“He looks like a nice horse in the making but he’s probably not quite there yet. It’s his first racing preparation so he’s going to improve a lot by the time he spells and comes back for his next one. We’ve liked the way he’s done his trials and I like the way he gallops – he has a nice big lengthy action and looks progressive,” Laurie said.

“If he bounces through this run there’s no reason why wouldn’t look at running him again.”

Five Star Decanter is out of a Darci Brahma mare, Aurora Lights, who placed third in the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in 2013.

First published in the Mornington News – 30 March 2021