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Veteran stayer Star Exhibit, a son of the recently pensioned sire Statue Of Liberty, joined elite company with his second Perth Cup win at Ascot on Saturday.
The Adam Durrant-trained 7YO gelding, who won his first G2 Perth Cup in 2016, joined the great Kiwi stayer Magistrate (1981-82), Fait Accompli (1970-72), Fairetha (1958-59), Cueeson (1933-35), Artesian(1911-13), Scarpia (1893-94 and Wandering Willie (1890-92) as dual winners of the historic race first run in 1887.
Star Exhibit has won $1,258,025 from his 10 wins and six placings at 29 starts.His imported Statue Of Liberty (Storm Cat) was pensioned at the start of this season by Victoria’s Sun Stud.
Star Exhibit’s dam Star Encounter made a big contribution to this year’s Perth Cup as she was represented by three of her foals.Her other progeny Royal Star (Redoute’s Choice) finished 11th and her full sister Perfect Jewel was 14th.
All three are raced by leading owner Bob Peters, who has now won a record eight Perth Cups.Star Exhibit (Statue Of Liberty x Star Encounter by Jeune) was trained by Geoff Durrant and John Miller before Adam Durrant took over training him this campaign following the gelding’s stint in Victoria with Darren Weir.
He is one of three winners from Star Encounter, who won the Listed Pinjarra Cup and comes from a prolific family nurtured by Peters.She is a sister to Galaxy Queen, the dam of this season’s G1 Railway Stakes winner Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice), and a half-sister to the stakes-placed Favourite Star (More Than Ready).
Favourite Star is the dam of the Peter-owned and bred Enticing Star (Testa Rossa), who was runner-up in the G1 Winterbottom Stakes last month.Star Encounter has an unnamed two-year-old brother and yearling sister to Star Exhibit and was covered in October by Dundeel.