Star power gives G1 joy to Nichols

I AM A Star has lived up to her name, as trainer Shane Nichols won his first Group .

Backing up from a placing at Moonee Valley against her own age last week, I Am A Star was one of two three-year-olds to take on the older mares in the Myer Classic (1600M) at Flemington yesterdday.

She became the first filly to win the Group 1 feature since three-year-olds became eligible in 2002.

Ridden by Dean Yendall, I Am A Star ($8.50) scored a long-neck victory over French Emotion ($31), with Denmagic ($61) a short head away in third. I Am A Star was Nichols’ second Group One runner after the filly finished second in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield on October 8.

“It’s an enormous buzz. I’m not sure I can explain the feeling,” Nichols said. The trainer had no hesitation giving the filly her second start within eight days after she undertook a blood test earlier in the week.

“Her blood was stronger this week than it had been all prep,” Nichols said.

Yendall, who mostly rides on the country circuit, sits in third place on the national jockeys premiership and landed his second Group 1 victory. His first came earlier in the month when Yankee Rose won the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick.

Yendall took over from veteran Steven King, who was unable to make Saturday’s 49kg.

“I was able to dictate across and give her a nice, comfortable run,” Yendall said.

“There was a bit of pressure from Zac (Purton) on Euro Angel getting to the 600.

“I was able to be in the right spot into the straight and she gave me a nice kick out of the 400 (metres), and I thought with that weight hopefully I’m going to be good enough to hold them off.”

Yendall rode Yankee Rose into third place in last week’s Cox Plate, where the filly had 47.5kg.