It took two years and seven attempts, but classy New South Wales chaser Star Torana finally broke through at group level in Thursday night’s $36,000 Group 3 Sir John Dillon Memorial at Sandown Park.
At 42 months, Star Torana was the oldest chaser in the field and was friendless in the market, sent to the boxes a $28.20 outsider.
Despite the lack of support from punters, Star Torana made a clean get away from box six to take up the early running before crossing to the rail out of the home straight.
Star Torana led by two lengths down the back with eight time Sandown feature finalist Dundee Osprey in pursuit the pair soon put a gap on the rest of the field.
In a thrilling run to the line, Dundee Osprey lunged at the line but couldn’t catch Star Torana who prevailed by a head.
It was the second consecutive Sandown Park group final won by a New South Wales greyhound, following Ando’s Mac’s success in last month’s TAB Melbourne Cup.
“She jumped well last week and I think she got a bit lost, she hadn’t been out of the 595m boxes before,” said handler Kayla-Jane Coleman, deputising for her partner Shaun Evans.
“I was hoping she could do the same tonight and just keep her foot on the pedal.
“When I saw Dundee Osprey two lengths off I thought she was gone because he is a strong and very classy greyhound but to her credit she’s a very hard dog to get past once she’s on the lure.”
First reaching the race track in January 2015, Star Torana had built a solid career over the following 18 months, winning 15 of 41 starts and contesting six group finals.
She was slated to retire to the breeding barn in July, but the decision was made to bring her back in to racing.
The decision to bring her back has proven to be a good one – since stepping up to the middle distances in October, she is yet to miss a place in six starts and at career start number 51, has finally broken through for her maiden group race success.
“She really deserved one (a group race win). She’s been in heaps and heaps of group finals and she really deserved one of those finals for herself and for the owner,” Coleman said.
“She’s a really lovely dog that you can’t help but have a real affection for, she always tries her hardest whenever she races.”
