Another Rosehill Win For Hyeronimus And Australian Star

Saturday, 21 July 2012: Sydney apprentice Adam Hyeronimus added another valuable metropolitan winner for the season at Rosehill on Saturday when guiding Australian Star to his third straight victory in the $85,000 The Forum Group Handicap.

Australian Star Photo by Racing and Sports

The Gerald Ryan-trained Australian Star  has been in good form this winter with the three wins, a second and a fourth in five races since May. The previous wins were both on their home track of Rosehill on June 16 and June 30 respectively, the first on a Heavy track and the second on a Slow.

Rosehill opened on a Slow 6 track and Hyeronimus allowed Australia Star to settle at the rear of the field as Kuhreihen and Fast And Sexy took up the running.

The battled intensified up front as the field turned for the run home.

Fast And Sexy challenged Kuhreihen on the outside passing the 400m, while Hyeronimus was biding his time second last into the straight.

Kuhreihen fought back on the rails and Fast And Sexy faded to be replaced by Nocturnelle taking over the challenge coming down the middle of the track. Hyeronimus sent Australian Star forward from the 300m and eased the rising four-year-old wide into gaps as they started making progress.

Nocturnelle was looking the likely winner with 100m to run, but Australia Star arrived with a well-timed run from Hyeronimus to take over with 20m to run and go away for a short neck win.

Nocturnelle was 1L ahead of Kuhreihen who held on well after making the pace. The time was 1.24.85 with the final 600m in 35.57. Australia Star paid $6.60 on NSW TAB.

“They went pretty steady early and it was good that Kerrin went to the front early to put a bit of pace on because he wanted to over race a little bit. But he relaxed good and sprinted and I got onto Corey's back as long as I could,” said Hyeronimus.

“I was always going to win well before he got there,” he added.

It was the 24th metropolitan winner for the 2011/12 season for Hyeronimus.

Australia Star, out of the Theatrical mare Cavallina, is owned by Graham Orr. Overall he has won four times from 15 starts and with five second places he has earned stakes of $216, 920 plus a further $20,000 BOBS bonus from Saturday's race.