The solid stallion Arena made it four winners in a week when Impatient Star continued an iron horse season by winning the $60,000, Do It At Diggers Handicap (1600m), the seventh heat of the NSW Winter Challenge, at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

Impatient Star, trained by Bill Prain on the course, was starting for the 15th time this season after racing through the autumn and winter. The small field of four presented no challenge for jockey Adrian Robinson and he set the three-year-old gelding after the leaders Lake Susannah (Filante) and Tuareg (Desert Prince) at the 600m.

The three swung into the main straight and it was Impatient Star who went clear finding the heavy (8) track no problem to pass the line with 1 1/2L to spare. Lake Susannah and Danny Beasley hung on for second and Striking Victory (NZ) (Victory Dance) and Larry Cassidy came through for third after Tuareg weakened, the margin 1 1/4L.

The time was 1.41.93 and the final 600m in 36.49. Impatient Star paid $2.40.

Impatient Star, out of the Fair Sir mare Clarrie’s Turn, is part owned by Lomar Park Stud’s principal Fred Peisah  and he was delighted with the continuing form of both Impatient Star and his stallion Arena.

Peisah paid tribute to Prain’s training, “He just keeps on going and Bill has done a fantastic job with him.”

He also said that he had received news from the Singapore Turf Club’s journalist Jo Adams that Arena has the champion two-year-old in Singapore. Vegas Star, trained by Mohd Yusof and ridden by Alan Ng, won the Group 3 Juvenile Championship on Friday coming from off the pace to win impressively.

Arena will serve up to 90 mares this season at Lomar Park Stud and his fee of $12,500 is one of the more sensible for a sire producing winners on the track, and enabling breeders to produce yearlings that have an opportunity to make money and then do the same on the track.

By Rob Burnet