Maschino mare Elvira Star arrived under the radar a week before Christmas with a first-up victory in the Cuprum Distillery Maiden (1000m) at Bunbury.
She saluted in the south-west wedged between Maschino’s hat-trick hero Smooth Chino (LR Black Heart Bart Stakes) and his Platinum Day double comprising TBA Trophy winner Charino and aptly-named 2yo colt He’s a Machino.
Elvira Star (4m Maschino – She’s Fa’lion by Due Sasso) is a homebred for Elvira Park and it’s no wonder she was lost in the wash of a summer carnival news cycle, nevertheless, she’s good enough to make the grade for Capel trainers Rob and Kate Witten.
Given time to mature, she wasn’t disgraced during an initial 3yo autumn campaign and was given time to settle behind a speed battle up front when resuming on December 18. Angled wide on the corner by Shaun McGruddy, she lay inwards down the straight but had enough in hand to defeat Morf (Rommel) by a head.
Photo / Western Racepix
“She pulled up well and worked extra good this morning,” Rob Witten reported on Saturday. “She will go around again on Ascot on Thursday and all going well we will keep her racing for Westspeed bonuses this prep.”
Elvira Star takes on a better field on Perth Cup Day and is on the minimum with 54kg in the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1200m).
Geisel Park will also follow Elvira Star’s progress closely having purchased her dam She’s Fa’lion in 2023. There are nine black-type winners on the page topped by Group 1 winners Shaybisc (ATC Sires’ Produce), Solar Circle (STC Rosehill Guineas) and Undue (Doomben 10,000).
She’s Fa’lion has a colt by Playing God and Geisel Park has entered 8 first-crop yearlings by its Moonee Valley Stakes-winning sprinter Aysar (Deep Field) among an overall draft of 15 for the Perth Magic Millions in February.
The first Aysar to parade (Lot 12) in the Swan Valley is the chestnut colt from G3 WA Oaks placegetter Indi Pacific (Blackfriars). There are nine black-type winners on his page including Geisel Park homebred Laced Up Heels (Toronado) who defeated Amelia’s Jewel in a LR Burgess Queen Stakes.
