By Tom Frary
Ralph Beckett and Rossa Ryan's purple patch continued relentlessly at Newmarket on Saturday as Starzintheireyes (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}–Crystal Hope {GB}, by Nathaniel {Ire}) proved the strongest stayer in an attritional renewal of the 10-furlong G3 Palace Pier Zetland Stakes. Runner-up to the subsequent G3 Solario Stakes winner Field Of Gold (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) over seven furlongs on debut at the July Festival here, Marc Chan's 160,000gns Tattersalls December Foal purchase had opened his account over that trip at Leicester last month and raced under restraint early at the back with stamina unproven.
Allowed to enter the fray in his own time, the 9-2 second favourite wore down Green Storm (Ire) (Circus Maximus {Ire}) inside the final 100 yards for a length success, with 3 1/4 lengths back to the 11-10 favourite Shackleton (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in third. “He's a big stayer, a big galloping horse,” Ryan said. “I would say this sort of ground or worse are his conditions and he's going to grow up an awful lot from two to three. Physically, he's all there but mentally it's coming slowly–he's nowhere near the final destination.”
“The day he won at Leicester, it took him forever to organise himself,” the in-form rider added. “He's still learning and was a bit gassy to post, so I took it upon myself to drop him in today, just to get him to relax early, which he did well. They went a good honest gallop the whole way and on this ground, I knew he would outbattle everything, I just needed to organise him, hence the sitting into him a little bit earlier than everyone else.”
Marc Chan added, “There is a lot of stamina on the dam's side of Starzintheireyes and he is related to Crystal Ocean, but the sire is Starspangledbanner so it was interesting to see what we had. It turns out he is a big-actioned horse who likes a mile and a quarter or even more. Green Impact is my first homebred and hopefully next year we have lots to look forward to and I will be here a lot. I will hopefully be going to lots of races in the UK and Ireland. It's very important we have new blood coming through to bring us more action next year.”
Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be a promising stayer 🤩
Starzintheireyes looks all about stamina as he comes home best in the Zetland Stakes.
The @RalphBeckett & @Rossaryan15 combination continue to carry all before them 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Uukh6y9PJg
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 12, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Starzintheireyes is the second foal out of the Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial Stakes-placed Crystal Hope who is a half to the dual listed scorer and G3 Hotham Stakes-placed Crystal Pegasus (GB) (Australia {GB}) and to the G3 Silbernes Pferd runner-up Crystal Estrella (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). The Listed Radley Stakes-winning third dam Crystal Star (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) proved a huge success in her second career, producing the high-class trio Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Crystal Capella (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). Crystal Hope also has a colt foal by Crystal Ocean's sire Sea The Stars.
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
PALACE PIER ZETLAND STAKES-G3, £65,000, Newmarket, 10-12, 2yo, 10fT, 2:07.03, g/s.
1–STARZINTHEIREYES (GB), 130, c, 2, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Crystal Hope (GB) (SP-Eng), by Nathaniel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Crystal Etoile (GB), by Dansili (GB)
3rd Dam: Crystal Star (GB), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (160,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE). O-Marc Chan; B-South Court Stud (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-Rossa Ryan. £36,862. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $59,933. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Green Storm (Ire), 130, c, 2, Circus Maximus (Ire)–Banimpire (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€12,000 Ylg '23 GOFOR). O-Ahmad Al Shaikh; B-Banimpire Syndicate (IRE); T-Charlie Johnston. £13,975.
3–Shackleton (Ire), 130, c, 2, Camelot (GB)–Damaniyat Girl, by Elusive Quality.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (200,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-P Brant/Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith; B-Lynch Bages Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £6,994.
Margins: 1, 3 1/4, HD. Odds: 4.50, 6.00, 1.10.
Also Ran: Too Soon (GB), Dunamase (Ire), County Mayo (Ire), The Green Mile (Ire).
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