Robert Smerdon described Persian Star as an "absolute revelation" after she trained on from two Mildura defeats a year ago to win the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes at FlemingtonRidden by three-time Melbourne Cup-winning Glen Boss, the five-year-old daughter of Shot Of Thunder was emphatic on Saturday as she stormed down the centre of the track to score by 1-3/4 lengths from former European stayer Ajhar and her stablemate Come On Cugat.Smerdon said he could have not have foreseen the improvement i

Robert Smerdon described Persian Star as an "absolute revelation" after she trained on from two Mildura defeats a year ago to win the Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes at Flemington

Ridden by three-time Melbourne Cup-winning Glen Boss, the five-year-old daughter of Shot Of Thunder was emphatic on Saturday as she stormed down the centre of the track to score by 1-3/4 lengths from former European stayer Ajhar and her stablemate Come On Cugat.

Smerdon said he could have not have foreseen the improvement in Persian Star who joined his stable as a tried horse early last year only for him to find she had bone chips in both her fetlocks.

"She had won a maiden but failed the vet," Smerdon said.

"I was all against buying her as horses get enough problems and you don't want to be buying into them.

"It was a conditional sale based on performance where rather than pay full price we paid so much if she won a race and more again if she won a city race.

"We took bone chips out of both fetlocks and it looked like we were not going to be paying anything for a good while.

"It is just remarkable what good horses can do.

"Twice she couldn't win at Mildura but with a bit of time and getting her out over a bit of ground has made a big difference.

"She has been an absolute revelation."

Persian Star has won six races for Smerdon but only ran in the 3200m Ramsden as an afterthought following her victory over 2800 metres at Flemington a week ago.

"She has had so much racing this preparation," Smerdon said.

"This was never in the plan and a helluva bonus.

"We thought last week we would see how she handles 2800 metres and the track thinking she might be a Bagot Handicap horse next summer but decided to give her one more run.

"Winning form is good form and we had another throw at the stumps."

The Ramsden is a qualifying race for the Melbourne Cup but Smerdon played down the suggestion that she could run in it this year.

"I think there are few levels of difference between this race and the Cup," he said.

The Ramsden is the only 3200-metre race run at Flemington besides the Melbourne Cup and Boss, who won the Cup three times in Makybe Diva, was in his element on Persian Star who was having her 14th start this campaign.

"She is all heart," Boss said. "She really has a red-hot go.

"She relaxes completely and conserves a lot of energy throughout the run.

"You wouldn't say she is a true two-miler with her build but she gives everything and has got the ability to reel off a really good sectional.

"Her run today was better than last week and even her sprint was better."