I Am A Star ready to shine
A HOST of feature spring races are in the thoughts of trainer Shane Nichols as he prepares his stable flagbearer I Am A Star for her return at a track where the mare is unbeaten.
I Am A Star resumes in tomorrow’s Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington and while Nichols has bigger targets in sight for the fouryear-old, he is certainly not discounting her making an immediate impact.
“With 58 kilos and giving the older geldings weight, she’ll certainly have to be on song on Saturday,” he said.
“But I do expect her to run really well. She’s not really ripped up for Saturday.
“This is the kick-off point and hopefully one of the lesser races she will run in during the spring. We’re trying to have her really spot-on for the Memsie and then if she runs well there we might go to the Makybe Diva.”
The $1 million Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) is three weeks after tomorrow while the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) is on September 16.
Nichols said the Group 2 Stocks Stakes against her own sex at Moonee Valley in late September could be an ideal target after that.
There are a number of other options including the Underwood Stakes and Epsom Handicap on the same weekend, and the Toorak Handicap, depending on how last year’s Myer Classic winner is going.
A defence of the Myer and even a Cox Plate tilt are among the later spring considerations.
“There’s a lot of options for her,” Nichols said.
Nichols said sending I Am A Star to the paddock after her third in the Robert Sangster Stakes on May 6 rather than pressing on to The Goodwood two weeks later, allowed her to have a good break and she had returned a stronger horse.
“She looks as good as she has looked and I’m very happy with her at this stage,” he said.
I Am A Star’s Flemington starts have netted wins in the Myer and Kewney Stakes last season while she managed to win down the straight as a twoyear-old.
I Am A Star will be giving weight to eight of her nine rivals tomorrow with Australian Guineas winner Hey Doc topweight with 59kg.
WE’RE TRYING TO HAVE HER REALLY SPOT-ON FOR THE MEMSIE AND THEN IF SHE RUNS WELL THERE WE MIGHT GO TO THE MAKYBE DIVA ... SHANE NICHOLS