We may have had to bear the brunt of British jokes over the Ashes result but never fear, there's always Starcraft as an example of what's great about 'Down Under' sporting performances.

In Australia, Starcraft was crowned Australia’s Champion Three-Year-Old after Group 1 wins in both the AJC Australian Derby, AJC Chipping Norton Stakes, and Hawke’s Bay Mudgway Stakes.

In Europe overnight, Starcraft secured his second European Group 1 victory in just 3 weeks when he beat the fast finishing Dubawi in one of Europe’s top mile races, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. His win followed his success in the Group 1 Prix Du Moulin at Longchamp on the 4 September.

As the European Bloodstock News stated today:

"Asleep in the pre-parade, jig jogging in the paddock, the gleaming golden ball of muscle that is Starcraft was all action in the race itself, the perfect advertisement for the Antipodean thoroughbred."

The latest win not only places Starcraft in winning contention for the title of Champion European Miler, it also subtly underlines the versatility and global make-up of many of today's modern thoroughbreds:

"Foaled in New Zealand by an Irish-based American-bred sire, owned by Australians, trained in England by an Italian and ridden by a Frenchman, Starcraft showed how international racing has become."