Racing
Skull’s Star chases big money at Wyong
Gelding part-owned by Kerry O’Keeffe gets shot at big payday in The Lakes
Gallant Star is yet to put a win on the board this campaign, but trainer Brett Robb has seen enough from his stable star to deem him worthy of a shot at this Saturday's $500,000 Lakes Mile at Wyong.
The Dubbo gelding will be lining up for his fifth start of the preparation in the 1600-metre event.
A first-up second placing in the $2m The Kosciuszko (1200m) was the start of a typically-consistent campaign for the son of Zoustar, who finished a narrow third to The Lakes favourite Know Thyself at Randwick on December 20 at his most recent outing.
"The last couple of starts we've been happy with him and have been aiming for this one since," Robb said.
"We've been looking to step him up to the mile and I think we've found the right race to do it."
Braith Knock will partner Gallant Star, who has 54kg, in the Lakes Mile with the pair to jump from barrier 10 in the field of 14 plus one emergency, which is headed by Bjorn Baker-trained pair Robusto (61kg) and Amor Victorious (59kg).
The Lakes Mile will be the first start at 1600m for Gallant Star, whose only run beyond 1400m realised a fifth placing, beaten three lengths, in the Group 3 Festival Stakes (1500m) won by subsequent The Ingham winner Yorkshire on November 29.
That's one of only two races in which Gallant Star has finished outside the top four – the other being a sixth placing in the 2024 The Kosciuszko – in 22 starts, which gives Robb reason to believe there is improvement to come despite being halfway through his six-year-old season.
"Every time I think he's just about found his level he steps up," Robb said.
"Every time he goes out and comes back, he just keeps getting better and better with age.
"You look at his record and he's never gone out there and run a bad race."
A $200,000 Inglis Classic yearling who was initially trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Gallant Star came to Robb after being sold unraced for $32,500 via Inglis Digital in February 2022 and has since banked a tick over $1.2m.
Kerry 'Skull' O'Keeffe is one of Gallant Star's part-owners, hence the skull that appears on his black and pink colours, and Robb said the former Test cricketer and media personality is excited about the prospect of being trackside.
"I was talking to him the other day, and he'll definitely be making his way down," Robb said of O'Keeffe.
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