Exciting colt Starspangledbanner scored his second group 1 win in three starts when he prevailed in a thrilling finish to the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield yesterday.
The Choisir three-year-old, prepared by Leon Corstens, won the group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 10 before being spelled and was fourth to Nicconi as favourite when resuming in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on January 30.
Starspangledbanner will now get the chance to emulate his sire by winning at Royal Ascot in England.
Choisir won the group 2 King's Stand Stakes (1000m) and group 1 Golden Jubilee (1200m) at Ascot in 2003.
''It was fantastic, super,'' stable spokesman Troy Corstens said after Starspangledbanner took his record to six wins and two placings from 11 starts for prizemoney in excess of $1.29 million.
Danny Nikolic, who won his second Oakleigh Plate after scoring on Sports in 2000, gave Starspangledbanner the run of the race in third place to the turn and he finished determinedly to just win from dead-heaters Here De Angels and Arinos.
''He did a terrific job,'' Nikolic said.
''He's still not there fitness-wise. His heart and his will got him home. It was a terrific effort.''
Earlier, classy filly Set For Fame was likened to her three-time group 1-winning stablemate Typhoon Tracy after scoring a belated group win of her own. Trainer Peter Moody said Set For Fame was on track to take on the elite colts in next month's Australian Guineas after powering home to land the group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m).
