The Greg Eurell-trained Star Missile, who has hundreds of part-owners in the Hancox Racing No.8 syndicate, finished fourth in public voting to secure his spot in the All-Star Mile at Caulfield on March 14.

Star Missile finished eighth in a 1400m open handicap at Flemington, won by Galaxy Raider, on his return from a spell last Saturday week and is nominated for two stakes races at Flemington and a handicap in Adelaide on Saturday and a benchmark race at The Valley on Friday night.

While Eurell said he would ideally like to run Star Missile on the big track at Flemington, no decision has yet been made.,

“I’ll see how he works in the morning and speak to the syndicate manager,” Eurell said.

“But he has come out of his first-up run well. There’s absolutely no issues there so he’s certainly on track at the moment.

“It will just be a matter of seeing how he lines up in the morning and trying to work out which race.”

Nominations for the Gr.2 Blamey (1600m) at Flemington have been extended after 12 entries were taken on Monday.

The winner of the Blamey will be offered a wild card into the All-Star Mile if, unlike Star Missile, they don’t already have a spot in the field.

Star Missile is 17th in the ballot for the Gr.3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap (1400m) which has 20 nominations including stablemate Blazejowski who will run with Damien Oliver to ride.

Eurell said Star Missile’s first-up run on face value was a little disappointing but also believed the inside barrier draw did not suit him.

“He’s not a horse that likes to be inside horses,” he said

“He proved that the way he won the Country Final on Oaks day at Flemington last spring when he came down the outside.”

Bred by Ralph Johns, Star Missile was born and raised at Amarina Farm before being sold through their 2017 Inglis Classic draft. He is a half-brother to Urban Ruler (Street Boss) who ran in the All Star Mile in 2019. -AAP

The Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham has always been one of the McKay family’s favourite races, but on Saturday it became much more special.

The Mitigator delivered a third victory in the time-honoured feature for Matamata trainer Peter McKay, who had previously won it with Alamosa in 2008 and Puccini in 2015.

Even more significantly, it was a first taste of Group One glory for his son, jockey Shaun McKay.

“This is awesome,” the 23-year-old said. “I’m speechless and over the moon. To win a Group One race has been a dream, and to do it for my family is even better. Dad’s an awesome trainer, and it means a lot to win a Group One race for him.”

Peter McKay described it as a special win for a close-knit family.

“I’m thrilled for Shaun,” he said. “It was a very good ride today on a good horse. When he had a look over his shoulder, I thought he must have been pretty confident, but it’s a long way down that straight.

“It’s great for Shaun, and also my wife Kim, who’s there every morning and puts a lot of work in. It’s a real family unit, and on days like this, all of that work we do pays off.”

The Mitigator’s win in the metric mile showpiece was a new career pinnacle for the son of Master of Design, and it came at long odds of $28.70.

Since beating up-and-comer Beauden to win the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie three starts ago, The Mitigator had suffered thumps when tailing the field home in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m), and attempted to take a sit behind the leaders when finishing a last-start fourth at Awapuni.

The Mitigator returned to his usual leading role on Saturday, and he was right back at his relentless best.

Rated perfectly by Shaun McKay, he dominated the race from the front and fought for all he was worth when he was challenged in the straight.

The Mitigator held on to win by a short head from Wyndspelle, who was a last-start Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes winner over the same course and distance.

The Thorndon Mile was The Mitigator’s seventh win from 32 starts and lifted his prize-money earnings past $340,000.

“He’s just such a consistent and honest horse,” Peter McKay said. “He tries so hard every time. We tried to ride him back in his last start, which was just a waste of time, and he had thumps in the Zabeel Classic. When he won at Ellerslie before that, he ran great time (1:33.18). We just decided to let him run his own race today.

“I’m thrilled for the owners, who are a great bunch. Racing needs more people like them, they just love the game. I think they’re here for this meeting every year.”

That ownership group was formed by long-time McKay stable client Trevor Luke, who was unable to sell The Mitigator at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. The Mitigator had been bought for $75,000 on the Gold Coast from the draft of Amarina Farm as a yearling.

“Trevor Luke bought the horse and then wasn’t able to sell him, so he asked me to help put a syndicate together to try to mitigate his losses,” co-owner Tim Davis said. “That explains the name.

“I’ve never had a Group One winner before, it’s an amazing result. We’re grateful to the whole McKay family, they’re amazing people. Peter McKay is a great trainer who doesn’t get all the credit he deserves, and that was a top-class ride from an outstanding jockey in Shaun McKay. Kim McKay is a lovely lady does a really great job as well.”

The Mitigator is the one and only stakes-winner sired by Master of Design and is a half-brother to Group Two winner Fontein Ruby from good producing Rubiton mare Charming Ruby, a full three-quarter sister-in-blood to dual Cox Plate winner Fields of Omagh.– NZ Racing Desk.

The James Cummings-trained colt started $3.60 favourite and was forced to dig in for a fight in Saturday’s #LovetheHorse (1100m) for two-year-olds, responding to a challenge from Jabali Ridge ($5.50) to beat him by a half-neck.

Cummings and Godolphin won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic last season with filly Exhilarates and Conceited was a $625,000 yearling purchase from Amarina Farm’s Gold Coast draft in January.

Melbourne stable representative Sean Keogh suggested next month’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast would be on the radar for Conceited.

“I think so,” Keogh said.

“James hasn’t spoken too much about it. But just seeing what we had there today definitely opened our eyes to it.”

Conceited had blinkers applied in his most recent of two Flemington jump-outs and he wore them on Saturday.

“He’s a big, scopey type of horse,” Keogh said.

“He’s taking his work well and he’s got a bit of natural talent.”

Conceited was ridden by Damian Lane, who won last season’s Golden Slipper for the stable on Kiamichi, and he believes the colt will improve with time.

“He’s a nice horse. He’s not a two-year-old type,” Lane said.

“He’s a big boy and he’s going to be better next year, whatever he does.

“So it’s promising to see him doing these sorts of things early.

“Three weeks ago in a trial he was really green and really wayward. He’s had another one since and then another week into the race and he’s really starting to furnish into a racehorse.

“It’s the first time he’s been fully tested so it was good to see him respond.”

Asked if the colt could measure up to the Magic Millions if connections head that way, Lane was measured but expects the colt to be better next season.

“I wouldn’t put anything past him, just because of how much he’s improved already this prep, but I would be surprised,” he said.

“Just because for me he probably looks like more of a three-year-old.” -AAP

Bred by Salter Pastoral Pty Ltd, The Mitigator was sold by Amarina Farm at the 2016 Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $75,000.

Few would begrudge the Peter McKay-trained five-year-old his first success in group company after finishing runner-up at stakes level at his previous two starts, where he was beaten by subsequent Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) winner True Enough at Hastings and then progressive mare Supera at Tauranga.

Never one to die wondering, The Mitigator took up his customary pace making role on Saturday and set a strong speed out in front. Rider Shaun McKay had him travelling sweetly rounding the home turn as he established a break on his nearest pursuers, before doggedly staving off the challenge of Beauden who had chased him all the way.

McKay was quick to pay tribute to his charge who puts his all into his races every time he goes to the track.

“He’s very very honest and deserved to get a race like this today,” he said.

“Sometimes they will take him on in front and often they end up running back last while he fights on.

“He just tries and tries so he deserves that one.

“We had a bit of a problem going into his last start where he had missed a run, but we still wouldn’t have won as Supera ate him up and spat him out but he still ran right out of his skin like he has done again today.”

McKay is hopeful he can stretch his charge out over more ground during his current campaign as he tries to manage the gelding’s place in the ratings and subsequent weight he will have to carry in his races.

“Now he has won today he will push himself up in the points,” he said.

“He went up four or five points last time for running second and probably three or four again from today so I’m thinking about trying to stretch him out to 2000m for the Group One here on Boxing Day.

“I was tinkering about taking him down to Wellington (Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes, 1600m) but it is going to be a good field and it is a tough mile down there when you are leading them up so I’d rather meet them here as I have always thought he would stay.”

McKay was referring to the weight-for-age Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie which is the feature event on Ellerslie’s Boxing Day programme.

The win was the sixth from 29 starts for The Mitigator who took his stakes earnings over the $210,000 mark.

The Mitigator becomes the first stakes winner for Group One winning Redoute’s Choice stallion, Master of Design, who stands alongside King of Prussia at Greta West Stud in Victoria.

He is out of a three quarter sister to Fields of Omagh in Charming Ruby, who has produced five winners: among them the 3-time Melbourne stakes winner, Fontein Ruby. – NZ Racing Desk

The youngster by Zoustar brought up his third career victory last start when he won the G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality by two lengths down the straight.

“We’re pretty pleased with how he’s going and we just wanted to keep him to the sprint distances for the moment,” co-trainer Simon Zahra said.

“He looks absolutely fantastic and we’ve noticed significant improvement from first-up to second-up.”

While in great form, Zoutori is up against it this week in the set-weights-and-penalties race.

“With the set weights and penalties it’s definitely against us, we’re only 1kg off a dual Group One winner (Santa Ana Lane),” he said.

“This is a really good test for him to see what level we aim with for him the rest of the spring.”

Bred by Frank Meduri, Zoutori was born and raised at Amarina before being sold through their 2017 Inglis Easter draft for $160,000. -racing.com

Zoutori resumed in Saturday’s Gr.2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) and powered home under jockey Linda Meech near the outside fence in the straight-track sprint to land his first stakes victory.

It was the four-year-old gelding’s first start since failing in two stakes races during the Brisbane winter carnival, including the Queensland Guineas (1600m), having won three-straight races before that in Melbourne.

“Things went a bit pear-shaped for him in the last campaign,” co-trainer Mathew Ellerton said.

“We took him to Brisbane and it was pretty fruitless so it’s good to pick up the pieces today.

“He just didn’t handle the right-handed way of going (in Brisbane). I thought he ran well enough in his first run up there and then Craig Williams just said he wanted to turn left the whole way up there in his next start.

“He may well also not be a miler.”

Ellerton, who trains in partnership with Simon Zahra, was delighted with how Zoutori was going leading into Saturday’s return and he opted to test him in the Bobbie Lewis (1200m) rather than run him in an 1100m handicap at Caulfield next week.

Zoutori, who firmed from $7.50 in to $5, defeated Parsifal ($10) by two lengths with last year’s winner Dothraki ($21) another long head away third.

Ellerton believes off the back of that impressive performance he will likely keep Zoutori to sprints, with the Gilgai Stakes over the same course and distance among the options for his next start.

“I had my reservations whether he was going to be fast enough today and he put paid to those reservations pretty quickly,” Ellerton said.

Zoutori took his overall record to five wins from 14 starts, with three of those wins coming first-up from a spell.

“He is on the way up and he really put them to the sword today,” Meech said.

Bred by Frank Meduri, Zoutori was born and raised at Amarina before being sold through their 2017 Inglis Easter draft for $160,000. He is the second stakes winner for the farm this month after Foxy Housewife (Foxwedge x Household) won the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) on September 6. -AAP

Foxy Housewife, who was bred by Amarina Farm, only transferred to the Pride yard two starts back after Queensland trainer David Vandyke travelled her to Sydney to contest the Winter Stakes in July.

Pride added the blinkers to the six-year-old mare and she’s recorded back-to-back wins. Friday’s was her first in black-type company.

Foxy Housewife took up a midfield position in the early stages of the race, to the outside of race favourite Connemara, before Dolan made his move passing the 600m, angling his mount out into the clear.

The mare was the widest runner on straightening and surged to the lead with Laburnum back on her inside, getting the better of the Godolphin galloper over the latter stages.

At the post Foxy Housewife ($26) defeated Laburnum ($12) by a head with Bjorn Baker’s Connemara ($3.40 fav) a half-length back in third.

The victory was Foxy Housewife’s seventh from 35 starts and took her earnings beyond $345,000. -racenet.com.au

Carrying the steadier of 60kg in Saturday’s Rod Fenwick Handicap (1600m), Zoutori, the $2.40 favourite, gave Craig Williams the second leg of an early double with his 1-1/4 length win.

Co-trainer Mathew Ellerton, who trains in partnership with cousin Simon Zahra, said a trip to Brisbane was now likely in a bid to boost his rating ahead of the spring.

“I don’t know what his ceiling is but we might go and give him his chance up in Queensland in something a bit better,” Ellerton said.

“If I put this horse in the paddock and think about the spring he’ll be stuck in no-mans-land with his rating.

“He’s a horse on the up and there’s a couple of suitable races up there for him.”

Zoutori is among the 144 nominations for the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8 while Ellerton said the Gr.1 Queensland Guineas (1600m) on the same day could be considered.

Ellerton said the Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm on May 25 would determine his Brisbane goal.

“He’s in the Stradbroke but I don’t know if he’s that good,” Ellerton said.

“We’ll run him in the Fred Best and see where that takes us.”

Zoutori was sold through Amarina Farm’s 2017 Inglis Easter draft when knocked down to Ellerton Zahra Racing for $160,000. -AAP

The son of Smart Missile was bred by Ralph Johns and purchased by Hancox Bloodstock out of Amarina Farm’s 2017 Inglis Classic Yearling draft.

Star Missile heads into Saturday’s SA Derby (2500m) at Morphettville at the fifth run of his campaign which began with a win in a 1400m benchmark race at Cranbourne and has included placings at his past two starts.

After a third behind Grinzinger Star and Derby favourite Mr Quickie over 1600m at Caulfield two starts ago, Star Missile was the widest runner rounding the home turn in the Group Three Chairmans Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville last start.

Despite covering ground he still let down well at the top of the straight to hit the front before favourite Declarationofheart sprinted through between runners and drew away to beat him by just over a length.

“I think he’s a live chance coming into next week,” Eurell said.

“I thought his run last start was enormous. He covered a lot of ground and certainly looked the winner at one stage.

“The winner won well, but all our bloke’s runs have been very creditable this time in and the Derby has been his target race.

“I think everything has fallen into place really well for him and he’s come out of that run exceptionally well.

“He is back home at Cranbourne and his work on Saturday morning was great.

“He’s in a good spot at the moment and we just hope we can get a bit better barrier draw to enable us to get a better position in the run next Saturday.

“With that, I think he’s a real live chance.”

Eurell, whose most recent Group One win was the 2011 Cox Plate with Pinker Pinker, believes Star Missile is giving the indication he will be able to handle the Derby distance.

“He relaxes well and doesn’t do too much early so he’s going to give himself every opportunity to run the 2500,” he said

Mr Quickie, who beat older horses at Caulfield over 2000m last start, was the $3.50 favourite on Sunday ahead of the Anthony Freedman-trained pair Declarationofheart ($5) and Northwood Drive ($6).

Star Missile is one of four horses on the next line at $10. -AAP

After a first-up win at Pakenham earlier in April, Zoutori added Thursday’s Auckland Racing Club Trophy (1400m) at Flemington to his record.

Mathew Ellerton, who trains in partnership with Simon Zahra, said after Zoutori recorded a half-length win under Craig Williams in the 1400m handicap for three-year-olds, the gelding was finally getting his head right.

Zoutori, who was sold out of Amarina Farm’s 2017 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, was tried at stakes level in the spring culminating in a fourth placing in the Sandown Guineas.

“The spring probably came around a bit quick for him but he’s had a good time to grow up a bit since,” Ellerton said.

“We gave him the time to grow into himself, his head as well as he was a bit hot, and he’s a sensible racehorse now.

“He was always a clown last time, you couldn’t get him off his toes but today he swaggered around and was very relaxed with what he was doing.”

Ellerton hopes Zoutori can be a player in the spring and the remainder of his three-year-old campaign will be about boosting his rating.

The Flemington-based trainer said he would consider heading to Brisbane for the Queensland Guineas.

“If you go to Queensland, it’s a quick turnaround for the spring, so I don’t know,” Ellerton said.

“He won’t be going to Adelaide, so the Queensland Guineas might be something in the first week of June.

“He needs to get his rating up near 100 to run in anything as a four-year-old in the spring.” -AAP