Seventh Stakes Win for I Am A Star (NZ)

I Am A Star (NZ) (I Am Invincible), who cost just $12,000 as a weanling at Karaka, scored the seventh stakes win of her career in Saturday’s A$200,000 Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

Ridden by Ben Melham, the five-year-old sat outside the leader Bella Martini (Stratum) and outgunned that rival in an exciting battle down the Flemington straight.

I Am A Star has now had 24 starts for eight wins, five placings and A$1.3 million in prize-money for owner Matthew Sandblom – more than 108 times her purchase price.

Her biggest win to date came in the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) at Flemington in November 2016, and she has also won four Group 2 races and a Group 3.

“She’s not big, but she’s tough,” trainer Shane Nichols said. “She’s reached great heights in her career. She’s had some times when things weren’t easy, she didn’t come up in the autumn, but it’s been a great effort by all of the staff and she’s come back and won a Group 2 at Flemington.”