Midnight Blue Makes it Ten Perth Cups for Bob and Sandra Peters

Mark Smith - Saturday January 1

The Peters Investments and Grant and Alana Williams show rolled on without Willie Pike in the Group II Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot on New Year's Day.

Pat Carberry won the Cup in 2001 on Lottila Bay, and he gave the favourite Midnight Blue a pearler.

Third in the Perth Cup twelve months ago, the son of So You Think hit the line strongly to defeat Paddy's Shadow (Dane Shadow)  by a half-length with Platoon (Playing God) a long neck back in third.

The winner of the Listed Ascot Gold Cup back in November, Midnight Blue advances his record to five wins, three seconds, and five thirds from 19 starts with earnings of $580,200

It was a tenth win in the race for Peters Investments.

That makes ten for Bob and Sandra Peters (image Western Racepix)

Midnight Blue needed to overcome an interrupted preparation due to a hoof problem.

"It was a bit unfortunate, but he caught up and had not lost a lot of work.

"He had the ability to be there and ran third in the race last year, so he proved he could run 2400m, and he has done it again today.

Advertisement

"He has developed and matured. You only have to have a look at him and see what a big strong horse he is.

Midnight Special was sold for $80,000 in 2021

"He was a late foal and took a long time to catch up."

The Peters Investments homebred is one of three stakes winners for the Zabeel mare Midnight Special.

A sister to Group III Naturalism Stakes winner Rainbow Styling, Midnight Special is the dam of Group II ARC Great Northern Guineas and Group II ARC Easter Handicap winner Demonetization (All Too Hard) and dual Listed winner Neverland (Big Brown), who was runner-up twice in the Perth Cup.

Bob Peters sold Midnight Special for $80,000 at the 2021 Inglis March (Early) Online Sale. She was sold empty having been given a year off in 2020.

The daughter of Zabeel was covered by Highland Reel (IRE) last September.

Visit the profile page for So You Think

So You Think in upcoming sales:
Advertisment

Race Result - Tabtouch - Perth Cup Gr2 2400m

Ascot Track: Good(4) Time: 2:30.83
1
Midnight Blue
- 5g So You Think (NZ) x Midnight Special (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: P Carbery 53
So You Think
2
0.5
Paddy's Shadow
- 7m Dane Shadow (AUS) x Pattie Me Lass (AUS) (Lords A Leaping (NZ))
Tnr: Ms R L Williams Rdr: S O'Donnell 53
3
0.9
Platoon
- 6g Playing God (AUS) x Oriel (AUS) (Oratorio (AUS))
Tnr: N D Parnham Rdr: S Parnham 56
Inglis March (Early) Online Sale $14,000
Seller: Geisel Park Stud
Buyer: Roy Rogers
MM Perth Yearling Sale $130,000
Seller: Geisel Park Stud, Myalup, WA
Buyer: Roy Rogers Racing
4
1.4
Pure Devotion
- 4m So You Think (NZ) x Paris Romance (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: G & A Williams Rdr: C Johnston-Porter 53
5
1.8
Trap For Fools
- 8g Poet's Voice (GB) x Old Money (AUS) (Old Spice (AUS))
Tnr: L Smith Rdr: B Rawiller 59
6
2.1
Cockney Crew
- 6g Maschino (AUS) x Happily (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Kieran McDonagh Rdr: S Mc Gruddy 53
7
2.9
Stafford's Lad
- 7g Demerit (AUS) x Crash Hot (AUS) (Blackfriars (AUS))
Tnr: D L Morton Rdr: Chris Parnham 53
8
3.4
Neufbosc
- 7g Mastercraftsman (IRE) x Nonsuch Way (IRE) (Verglas (IRE))
Tnr: N D Parnham Rdr: B Parnham 55.5
9
3.7
Bad Wolf
- 7g So You Think (NZ) x Surpassing (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: A W Maley Rdr: Jerry Noske 53
10
4.3
Come Right Back
- 5g Toronado (IRE) x Sense Of Purpose (AUS) (Tiger Hill (IRE))
Tnr: A G Durrant Rdr: Laqdar Ramoly 53
11
7.1
Marocchino
- 5g Maschino (AUS) x Comesitbesideme (AUS) (McFlirt (NZ))
Tnr: L P Luciani Rdr: P Knuckey 53.5
12
7.7
Bella's Idol
- 8g Vital Equine (IRE) x Bella Contessa (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: Summer Dickson Rdr: Natasha Faithfull 53
13
8.4
Black Shadow
- 7g Trade Fair (GB) x Black Vision (AUS) (Blackfriars (AUS))
Tnr: J P Taylor Rdr: J Brown 53
14
10.9
Divine Shadow
- 6g Blackfriars (AUS) x Idyllic Doll (AUS) (Scenic (IRE))
Tnr: Brett Pope Rdr: Jade Mc Naught 53
15
12.2
Tellem We're Comin
- 7g Blackfriars (AUS) x Bonny Bonny (AUS) (Bletchley Park (IRE))
Tnr: D L Morton Rdr: Joseph Azzopardi 54.5
16
14.3
Truly Reliable
- 4g Reliable Man (GB) x La Roseraie (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Raymond Vincent Rdr: Shelby Bowtell 53
More Reading...
Kiwi Breeding Partnership Strikes with She's a Hustler
John Thompson and Greg Tomlinson have combined for another major stakes success in Australia.
Same Race - New Name- $1 million THE MOVE TO STRIKE THOROUGHBRED CLUB STAKES
First run in 1968 and previously featured on Caulfield Cup Day, the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes enters an exciting new era in 2025.
First Stakes Win for The Autumn Sun Half-Brother
The Listed Chantilly Grand Prix du Nord (2000m) in France overnight provided a first stakes win for blueblood Dubawi colt Azimpour, the half-brother to Champion Australian 3YO Colt and now G1 sire The Autumn Sun.
Aussie Bred Sprinter to Run in G1 Breeders Cup Turf Sprint This Weekend
Australian spring racing might appear to be the centre of the universe in our neck of the woods, but in the Northern Hemisphere this weekend it is all about the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Del Mar in California and an Aussie bred sprinter could be poised to spring an upset.
Debut Winner for Fierce Impact
Lovatsville based young gun Fierce Impact (Jpn) produced a tenacious debut winner at Swan Hill on Tuesday in the Seymour Bloodstock colours.
Day 1 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale 375,000 Guineas for August George
Smart two-year-old AUGUST GEORGE topped the opening day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at Park Paddocks when selling for 375,000 guineas to Qatari trainer Gassim Ghazali, one of five lots to realise 200,000 guineas or more.
So You Thinks Midnight Blue Triumphs in Seymour Cup
Midnight Blue was purchased by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $92,500 when offered by Bob Peters through Inglis Digital after finishing fifth in the 2023 Seymour Cup. Twelve months on Midnight Blue captured Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Bet 365 Seymour Cup (1600m).
Famous Foal with Coolmore Stud Stakes Connections
The Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes this weekend is a race that has developed a deserved reputation as a sire making race and a foal image that arrived to the Breednet Foal Gallery on Monday is a colt with an undeniable connection to this pivotal race for the breeding industry.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 28
Here is the full list of 24 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Te Akau Hoping for Hometown Cup Win
Te Akau Racing, the country’s leading stable, has captured some of the biggest prizes in New Zealand racing this year, and trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are keen to add their home cup, the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m), to their trophy cabinet on Friday.