Adelaide, August 5 –Unheralded three-year old Starbird opened his winning account at Cheltenham on Saturday when he fought back tenaciously to defeat the highly fancied colt Tipungwuti.
The talented son of Catbird had been placed three times previously but his victory on Saturday was his first in six starts for the Ken Sweeney stable.
Tipungwuti is being touted as a likely contender for races such as the Caulfield Guineas and Victoria Derby, so the effort of Starbird to get the better of him was a commendable one.
Starbird was purchased for $35,000 by Sweeney from the draft of Fulmen Park as agent at the 2005 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
He is the second foal of the winning Geiger Counter (USA) mare Cosmic Queen, whose immediate family is barren of Black Type performers.
Catbird has wasted no time finding a winning groove for the new season, picking straight up where he left off.
Catbird was the leading third crop sire for the 2005/2006 season by individual winners, his 94 winners placing him two ahead of Commands with 92 and Redoute’s Choice with 89 (source Arion Pedigrees).
