From Bargain Buy to Country Championships Contender
Gallant Star, a stylish son of Zoustar was entered into the 2022 February Early Sale on Inglis Digital by Annabel Neasham following two relatively plain trials on the metropolitan circuit. Well-bred, framey, and with plenty of maturing to do, the potential of Gallant Star caught the eye of astute Dubbo-based owner David Ringland and his lifelong pal, former Australian cricketer Kerry O’Keeffe. ‘Ringers and Skull’ picked up Gallant Star for $32,500. Some $167,500 less than its price tag when offered at the 2021 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Tyreel Stud. Free in the wind and fetlock, Gallant Star passed its pre-sale veterinary examination satisfactorily but had two minor drawbacks preventing him from reaching his galloping potential. His manhood.
Early Signs of Talent
Possessing a hulking stride length, early indications proved Gallant Star could gallop. Experienced trackwork rider and amateur jockey John Wilson quickly formed the opinion that the stable’s newest recruit was above average. However, ‘Gal’ was still somewhat inhibited by those two drawbacks. Ringland and trainer Brett Robb quickly gelded Gallant Star and set him for a late season racing debut. The Silver Goblet – Dubbo’s two-year-old grand final run-in early June. Gallant Star’s Silver Goblet performance was nothing short of brilliant. A four-and-a-quarter length demolition of a handy field of juveniles. Most remarkably, ‘Gal’ eased from $9-$11, with little more than a trickle of stable support. A fortnight later, Robb backed up Gallant Star in an all-ages Class 1 Handicap, but this time the gelding started at a much more prohibitive $1.35. Again, ‘Gal’ won with ease by two-and-a-half lengths.
Such was the impression that Gallant Star had made in just two runs, Robb targeted one of the final juvenile races of the season in town. ‘Gal’ finished a very creditable third and beat a future black type performer in Brudenell. Who has subsequently won the Listed Abell Stakes and Bel Esprit Stakes. As can happen with fairytale stories, Gallant Star’s three-year-old year was problematic. A severe virus, followed by a roaring diagnosis quickly mellowing the mood. Despite this, ‘Gal’s’ class kept him in contention in his only two starts that preparation. Finishing third in both a Class 2 Highway at Randwick and a Class 2 at Mudgee before being sent for surgery and a spell.
Return to Racing and Highway Success
Now four, ‘Gal’ returned in the summer of 2023 with a first-up tilt at a TAB Highway – this time with stablemate Wilbury in tow. Wilbury was victorious that day, over a much more favourable distance of 1100m, and Gallant Star would finish third. Importantly, the post-race report was glowing.
Robb, having determined that spacing ‘Gal’s’ runs would most benefit the gelding. He returned to Randwick a month later for another TAB Highway – this time in Class 3 grade and over 1200m. Gallant Star won, and also received some strong plaudits from commentators – “he’s better than a highway horse.”
A Narrow Miss in the Country Championships Qualifier
With the Country Championships Qualifier his target, Robb would return to Sydney twice. Finishing second in a Saturday Benchmark 72, before a fourth – ‘Gal’s’ first ever result outside the top three – in a midweek Benchmark 72, where he wasn’t afforded a whole lot of clear running in the straight. On Qualifier day, Gallant Star would find a new combatant – Elson Boy – who was nothing short of amazing. A dogged front runner, the Dar Lunn-trained gelding was able lead, stack-up and sprint to win the qualifier with a desperate Tommy Berry extracting every effort. So too, Sam Clipperton on Gallant Star, but Elson Boy would ultimately defeat the charging ‘Gal’ by a whisker.
Injury would frustratingly curtail Elson Boy’s Country Championship dream. However, the El Roca gelding would go on to record a tremendous run of form during the winter of 2024. Of which would include four consecutive wins – two of which were in Saturday metropolitan company. On the eve of the final, Royal Randwick would be inundated with monsoonal rain – around 230mm to be exact. With Robb and Gallant Star stationed at Bennett Lodge in Luddenham, images circulated of a flooded in field at headquarters. The rain, it would seem, would benefit Gal, who was battling some minor hoof issues after the Qualifier. That day, he was one of few who made up ground and ran an unironic gallant second to Asgarda in the million-dollar final.
Kosciuszko Dreams and a Dubbo Gold Cup Victory
In the spring of 2024, ‘Gal’s’ connections aimed high and campaigned for a Kosciuszko slot. One start in (and win) the Vincent Gordon Flying Handicap on Dubbo Gold Cup Day and the straight to the Kosciuszko was the plan in the hope of persuading a lucky slot holder. Fortunately, Gallant Star was quickly selected by notable actor, John Howard, before the he had stepped on the track. With Tyler Schiller aboard, Gallant Star would win the Vincent Gordon Flying Handicap. An emotional win for Ringland given his tenure as a Director of the Dubbo Turf Club and strong association with Vincent Gordon – the Club’s late general manager, who sadly passed in March 2022.
Run at a frenetic tempo, Gallant Star performed creditably in the Kosciuszko, finishing sixth and just four lengths behind the winner, Far Too Easy. From there, a few races looked suitable – however the $250,000 Barn Dance – a restricted Country race run over 1300m on Big Dance Day – looked the most logical option. Gallant Star would return to Randwick – a very happy hunting ground – and start favourite and with plenty of support. Jason Collett would pilot Gallant Star that day and the duo would salute by almost five lengths.
With three sharp trials under his belt, Gallant Star will head to the $150,000 Evergreen Turf WRA Country Championships Qualifier at Coonamble on Sunday 16 March first-up. Looking to atone for the narrowest of losses in 2024 when runner up to Elson Boy. Gallant Star will head another strong line-up of Dubbo-trained gallopers aiming for one of two slots in the $1 million final at Royal Randwick.
Dubbo’s Dominance in the Country Championships
Since the inception of the Country Championships concept in 2015, Dubbo-trained horses have won nine of the 10 running’s of the WRA qualifier. The sole exception being the famous victory of Stoneyrise. Trained 150km northwest of Bourke by James Hatch – who won the 2017 edition with a remarkable betting plunge of $51 into $10.
Notable past winners of the qualifier include:
- Good Host & Something Borrowed (Justin Stanley)
- Dane De Lago (Peter Nestor)
- Westlink (Darren Hyde)
- Elson Boy (Dar Lunn)
- Great Buy (Brett Robb)
- Listen to the Band (Clint Lundholm)
- Sneak Preview & Activation (Kody Nestor)
In very heavy conditions, Sizzle Minizzle (Brett Robb) recorded an emotional victory in the 2023 final. While Not For Export (Dar Lunn) and Amulet Street (Clint Lundholm) have both finished third in the Royal Randwick grand final.
Dubbo Turf Club
The Dubbo Turf Club hosts 18 race meetings per year. Including the prestigious Dubbo Gold Cup, Queen of the West, Silver Goblet, Derby Day/Golden Eagle Day, and Melbourne Cup/Big Dance Day meetings.
With over 200 horses trained on-course, the Dubbo Turf Club also attracts runners from across regional NSW and prominent Metropolitan and Provincial stables. Resulting in the Club having the highest average field size of any regional NSW racecourse in the past two years.
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