Hughes Keeps Faith in Star to Shine

Wulguru trainer Graham Hughes hasn’t given up hope of snaring another win with nervy galloper Family Star.

Hughes is banking on a rise in distance and the booking of top hoop Lacey Morrison to snap a long run of outs for the gelding in tomorrow’s Ladbroke It! Open Hcp (1400m).

Family Star hasn’t won a race since claiming his biggest win in the Cleveland Bay Hcp consolation in August last year.

But Hughes hasn’t lost faith in the seven-year-old and is expecting a bold showing tomorrow.

“I think he’s been fairly unlucky in three of his recent runs. He could’ve won any one of those. He’s been getting into strife, getting a bit far back, a couple of bad alleys.

“Just nothing seems to have gone right for him. He’s been getting beaten under two lengths I think in his past five or six starts.

“I’ve always wanted to start him over 1400m so we’re going to see.

“At the beginning of this campaign he had a foot abscess and that mucked him around a fair bit. He’s fine now and it’s a nice race for him tomorrow so hopefully he has a bit of luck.”

Family Star has won seven of his 33 starts, all of them at Cluden Park over distances ranging from 1000m to 1300m.

The Bel Esprit gelding will carry the limit 54kg tomorrow after 10 consecutive unplaced runs which have included three luckless fourths in his past four starts.

and meets a small field that includes Hell Of A Boy, veteran Zouvilla, Savvy Sovereign and top weight Bones who is backing up from a disappointing fifth at Home Hill on Tuesday and will also be tackling 1400m for the first time.

Hughes will also saddle up capable galloper McNair in the Lawrence & Hanson BM55 Hcp (1400m) and Toto in the Bush To Beach BM65 Hcp (1200m) and is expecting both to be competitive.

McNair is having his fourth run back from a spell and Hughes says a rise in distance to 1400m is in his favour while Toto has excuses for an unplaced run at Mackay last start.

“He ripped both front shoes off and it was a very hard track that day. He’s got 61.5kg so we’ve gone with the 2kg claimer to get a bit off his back.”

Hughes said both gallopers would appreciate any rain.

The six-event Cluden Park card kicks off with the Thank You Volunteers Amy Byrnes & Alicia Collins QTIS Mdn Place (1000m) at 12.47pm.

Pictured: Flashback: Family Star winning last year's Cleveland Bay Hcp Consolation over Zouvilla at Cluden last year. The pair will clash again at Cluden tomorrow.

See the racing calendar for upcoming race days.