‘Star' Power for Healesville Cup

POWERHOUSE youngster Startron will be chasing five straight wins when he takes his place in Sunday afternoon's highly anticipated Group 3 Healesville Cup Final (350m).

Qualifying for the $25,000 to-the-winner decider on the strength of his stirring 19.16 heat win, where he defeated Shepparton Cup hero Peter Galo by just under a length, Startron heads into Sunday's absorbing finale in red-hot form, winning eight of his 12 Healesville appearances, and boasting a career record of 14 wins from 26 starts for Group 1 winning trainer Wayne Vassallo.

And whilst the son of Dyna Tron and She's A Caviar has undeniable claims in what's a rather open final, the race is full of firepower from one to eight, with the best of the Victorian sprinting ranks lining up.

That firepower is led by Anthony Azzopardi's two-time Group 1 winner Raw Ability, the son of Barcia Bale making his Healesville debut a successful one in last weekend's heats, recording a slender win in the slick time of 19.12.

Facing the starter for just the third time since May, the Adelaide Cup/Paws Of Thunder winner is joined in the finale by Kouta Mayhem, the two gallopers having faced off in last year's Group 1 Melbourne Cup Final at Sandown, where Kouta Mayhem finished a gallant third.

The son of Fabregas progressed through to Sunday's final with a comfortable 1 1/4 length heat victory in 19.24 and has been a installed a 12/1 chance by bookmakers.

Setting the pace for the final is the John Barbara-trained Hot Jean who scorced over the 350m journey in last week's heats, stopping the clock in a flying 19.02.

Only lightly raced, winning 10 of her 24 starts, Hot Jean is by former speedster Vee Man Vane, runner-up in the 2009 Healesville Cup Final and whilst she's giving away experience to her more seasoned rivals, is considered one of the major winning chance in pre-post markets.

With chasers the ilk of three-time group finalist Zoom Out, Dyna Hunter, Barooga Brett and exceptionally talented chaser Swift Rain, taking their spot in Sunday's Final, the Healesville Cup for 2018 promises to be a thrilling affair.

The Cup is race eight on Sunday's program, set to go at 1.04pm ESTD.