JUST over a year ago, John Symons and Sheila Laxon had to put down Daintree Duke - a horse they considered could have been the best they had ever trained - after an accident, reports The Age.It says: Symons wondered at the time whether it was worth continuing training, but yesterday he was in the winner's stall at Moonee Valley with Daintree Duke's half-sister, Sheila's Star, who scored her second win in three starts in the Tatts Group Handicap (1000 metres).After enjoying a good trail just off

JUST over a year ago, John Symons and Sheila Laxon had to put down Daintree Duke - a horse they considered could have been the best they had ever trained - after an accident, reports The Age.

It says: Symons wondered at the time whether it was worth continuing training, but yesterday he was in the winner's stall at Moonee Valley with Daintree Duke's half-sister, Sheila's Star, who scored her second win in three starts in the Tatts Group Handicap (1000 metres).

After enjoying a good trail just off the speed, Sheila's Star ($11) ran on strongly in the straight to reel in first starter Koonoomoo ($26) who had got through on the inside as they cornered, winning by a long neck, with Across The Moon ($5) 2¥ lengths away third.

Sheila's Star had had her first start in a Blue Diamond Prelude in early February with connections hopeful that she might measure up to the Blue Diamond, but while she ran fifth, any lofty plans were placed on hold.

''We threw her in at the deep end as she was still in the Blue Diamond at that stage,'' Symons said. ''We had an opinion of her and wanted to see if we could get there. She ran fifth and it was a great run but she wasn't ready to go on.''

After a brief let-up, Sheila's Star, a half-sister to stakes-winning mare Jacqueline Rouge, won a maiden at Bendigo before graduating to city class yesterday and Symons said he might give her a chance in a better race, the listed $100,500 Blue Sapphire (1200 metres) at Caulfield on May 1.

''We might give her a crack at the Blue Sapphire and then put her away for the spring,'' he said.

''Whatever she does now, she will be lengths better when she comes back and she will appreciate a bit more ground.''