Family Star showing signs of rediscovering his best form

By Glenn Davis

Quirky Townsville sprinter Family Star is showing signs of rediscovering his best form, according to trainer Graham Hughes.

Family Star – a Justin Stanley mount – has finished back in the field at his only two starts in recent weeks.

Family Star will be out to get back on the right track in the Open Handicap at Mackay on Tuesday.

The seven-year-old has had two starts back from an injury enforced break but finished with the tail enders on both occasions at Townsville’s Cluden Park.

“He needs to do something soon or we may have to retire him,” Hughes said.

However, Hughes has seen first-hand how Family Star may have turned the corner as he chases his eighth win from 28 starts.

“He’s been going ordinary but he’s had a few problems in his career,” Hughes said.

“He usually has to wear ear muffs as he’s a bit quirky.

“But, I’ve picked up on a few changes with him lately as he nearly kicked me the other day on the float which is a good sign he’s back to his old self.

“He still goes to pieces on race days and shivers a lot so we have to pamper him.”

Family Star was one of North Queensland’s up-and-coming sprinters last year winning four times between April and August.

He was placed in two of his first three runs back in his subsequent campaign this year before compounding to finish last behind Leadership Spill on a heavy track at Townsville on March 16.

“We found he had a hairline fracture of his sesamoid after that run,” Hughes said.

“He was x-rayed by a Brisbane vet who had to nerve block him to find the problem.”

The 68-year-old Hughes has been training for half a century and has a team of eight horses in work.

He started training as a 19-year-old but took five years off at one stage. 

The son of Bel Esprit - Family Star - was originally trained in Brisbane by Lindsay Gough before being moved to Jeffrey Caught in Townsville.

Caught started him six times for three wins and as many placings.

He returned to Gough’s stable briefly for four starts before being picked up by Hughes who has prepared him for his past 16 starts for four wins and five placings.