Gold Coast trainer David Kelly says Star Of Night can still prove she is city grade

GOLD Coast trainer David Kelly says Star Of Night can still prove she is a top grade mare after cruising to victory nine months after injury ­halted her rise.

Daniel Griffin rides the David Kelly-trained Star of Night to victory. Photo: JESSICA HAWKINS/TRACKSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY

GOLD Coast trainer David Kelly says Star Of Night can still prove she is a top grade mare after cruising to victory nine months after injury ­halted her rise.

Star Of Night made her return from chronic foot injuries in perfect fashion by winning The Queensland Brain Institute Class 2 Handicap (1200m) on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

“She had to have a bit of time off because her feet were really bad,” Kelly said.

“They weren’t growing as good as they should have been. Every time she was galloping they were hurting her.

“So in the end she didn’t want to gallop so we just had to turn her out and let her feet grow out and get all the pain out of her feet.

“She’s done a good job (on Saturday). There is still a lot of improvement in her so it’s just good to see her bounce back.”

The four-year-old mare, who has now won three of her 13 starts, was just starting to show her potential when she won two straight races on the Gold Coast in November last year after already showing promising signs in Brisbane.

Star Of Night went on to race in the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) at the Gold Coast in December and the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) in January but that is where the foot problems began.

But after nearly six months out of work, Star of Night stormed to win by 2½ lengths on Saturday and Kelly said he was confident she could get back to her top form.

“She raced against the top grade, Group and Listed races, and I thought she was a really good chance in the Magic Millions,” Kelly said.

“She won two straight and then her feet started to play up on her and she put in two bad ones so we just had to pull the pin and turn her back out.

“She is a top class mare and I have got no doubt she can get back to that.”