NZ HARNESS NEWS
Canterbury trainer Cran Dalgety notched a second win within 24 hours when Master Moonlite raced away with the Australasian Breeders Crown 2YO colts and geldings heat at Kilmore, Victoria, on Wednesday.
Expertly handled by driver Anthony Butt, Master Moonlite trailed two and three-back on the outer.
They ranged up outside the Emma Stewart-trained stablemates, Concealment and Tam Major, turning for home, with Master Moonlite proving too slick over the closing stages, coming clear by 6.5 metres, in a 1:59 rate for the 2180m.
The leaders ran their last 800m in 58.6sec and the closing 400m in 28.6.
“Actually without getting excited, he’s one of my next best horses,’’ Cran said.
“We’ve given him time and he’s starting to furnish.’’
Master Moonlite, after qualifying last December, only began racing on July 2.
He won first-up at Timaru in a 1:58.9 rate (2000m), then was a luckless second at Ashburton on July 16 and finished a half-head second to Cullenburn in a three-horse Breeders Crown Heat at Addington on July 21.
Master Moonlite, a gelded son of Art Major, will be trying to embellish a strong Breeders Crown pedigree in the final on August 26.
He’s the first foal from the 2012 Breeders Crown 4YO Mares final winner Miss Moonlite (1:54.7, 13 wins & $213,165), a Christian Cullen daughter of 2000 Breeders Crown 3YO Fillies Final winner Dancingonmoonlight (1:53.2, 19 wins & 402,832).
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