Natalie McCall looks to have secured a rare bargain in the long-striding Better Than Ready gelding Already A Star, who impressed on debut in the XXXX Dry Maiden Plate (1200m) at Eagle Farm.

Given a ground-saving ride from an inside gate by James Orman, Already A Star looked like the consummate professional in defeating the Sebring gelding Fiery Ring by three-quarters of a length with the Rothesay gelding Quothquan a neck back in third.

“He’s a beautiful horse, and the owners have been super patient with him,” Natalie McCall said.

“He has had on-and-off issues. He is a big lanky guy with a nice motor, so getting a victory for the patient fellows is nice.

“He was aided by the fence and a good Orman ride, but he is still learning with plenty of improvement left in him.”

Only two of the 34 Better Than Ready yearlings sold in 2021 made less than the $8,000 needed for McCall to secure Already A Star from the Bowness Stud draft at the 2021 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale.

He is the first winner for the unraced Starcraft mare Tahlia Star.

A half-sister to the Group II MVRC Ian McEwen Stakes winner Wild Rain (Manhattan Rain) and the stakes-placed Flowerchild (Redoute’s Choice), Tahlia Star was a $27,500 purchase for Bowness Stud from the Yarramalong Park Reduction at the 2019 National Broodmare Sale when carrying Already A Star.

From the family of the champion Northerly, Tahlia Star was sold for just $700 at the 2023 Inglis April (Late) Online Sale. She has a yearling filly by D’Argento, which sold to Namerik Thoroughbreds for $24,000 from the Bowness Stud draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale.

Tahlia Star was covered by D’Argento last spring.