Almanzor Filly Wins G3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes

Media Release - Saturday April 20

Underrated three-year-old filly Moonlight Magic employed a barnstorming finish from last to secure a valuable stakes victory when she captured the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie in spectacular fashion.

The Andrew Forsman-prepared daughter of Almanzor had been thereabouts in all of her recent racing without having much luck, but ensured her maiden victory would be a memorable one in a race that will significantly boost her value when she eventually heads to the broodmare paddock.

Moonlight Magic powers down the outside to claim the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.   Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Punters hadn’t missed her unlucky fourth at her most recent start when hampered in the home straight as she finished fourth in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2100m), and sent her out a strong $3.80 second favourite on Saturday.

That inspired support looked in jeopardy when she trailed the field in last place for most of the journey, before rider Craig Grylls got busy on the filly approaching the home turn as she looped the field to make a long, sustained run.

Angled to the outside, Moonlight Magic produced an electric turn of foot at the 300m to burst clear and dash to a three-length victory over Solidify with another Forsman runner in First Innings charging into third.

Forsman admitted he had some mid-race questions for Grylls to answer if the filly hadn’t been successful.

“She deserved that as she has been desperately unlucky in some good races right the way through,” Forsman said.

“She is a good filly who will keep getting better.

“I had wondered what Craig was up to approaching the home turn and I thought he must have a lot of horse under him to take off like he did.

“I think they had gone steadily enough up front, and he had confidence in her to take off like that.

“It was just nice to see her get a good crack at it.”

Advertisement

Forsman is in a quandary as to whether to press on with his charge to a possible Queensland campaign or to back off her and get ready for spring racing.

“She has had a lot of racing now and hard racing over ground, but to her credit she seems to be thriving,” he said.

“We will just reassess now, see how she comes through the run and work it out.”

Grylls was pleased the filly could get the victory after being stopped in her tracks at her last start.

“Last time down at Trentham she was luckless as she got knocked over halfway down (the straight), but picked herself up for fourth,” he said.

“She should have been right in the finish that day.

“I was a little bit concerned how far back I was, but there was good speed and that played into her hands as we tracked to the outside and she had a really good turn of foot.”

Almanzor (Fr) shuttles to Cambridge Stud.

Moonlight Magic is the 16th stakes-winner for Almanzor, who has had a hot run of late and sired the quinella in the Group I ATC Sydney Cup last week. 

Bred and raced by the Sunlight Trust, Moonlight Magic is out of the Encosta De Lago mare Japonica and comes from an extended family that includes triple Group One winner Serenade Rose, the 2006 champion three-year-old filly in Australia along with dual Group One winner Trekking. - LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes Gr3 2100m

Ellerslie Track: Soft(5) Time: 2:13.16
1
Moonlight Magic
- 3f Almanzor (FR) x Japonica (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: C J Grylls 55
2
2.5
Solidify
- 3c Redwood (GB) x The Warrior Woman (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: R T Elliot 57
3
3
First Innings
- 3g Contributer (IRE) x Dream Run (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: M Hashizume 57
4
3.1
Rumeur
- 3g Mongolian Khan (AUS) x Quaalup (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: S Ritchie & C Murray Rdr: K A Myers 57
5
3.3
The Patron Saint
- 3g Dissident (AUS) x Imposingly (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: Joe Doyle 57
6
3.8
Kealoha
- 3f The Autumn Sun (AUS) x Norzita (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: P S Richards Rdr: S R Weatherley 55
7
3.9
Prometheus
- 3g Ace High (AUS) x Foiling (NZ) (Showcasing (GB))
Tnr: P P Mirabelli Rdr: L H Satherley 57
8
4.6
Just One
- 3g Justify (USA) x Danex (NZ) (Danasinga (AUS))
Tnr: S B Marsh Rdr: S C Spratt 57
9
4.8
Rebecchi
- 3c Trapeze Artist (AUS) x Nicoletta (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: Billy Jacobson 57
10
5.8
Investigate
- 3g Dundeel (NZ) x Mitigate (GB) (Lawman (FR))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: W F Pinn 57
11
10
Lanikai
- 3c Ocean Park (NZ) x Oahu (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: A W Pike Rdr: M Cameron 57
More Reading...
So You Think 3YO Wins $100,000 Inglis Xtra Bonus
Good placement from the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable for progressive three year-old So You Think gelding Aloysius, who cast off maiden status at Hawkesbury on Thursday in a race that featured a lucrative Inglis Xtra maiden bonus.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Pelzter added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Almanzor Filly Primed for Oaks
Moonlight Magic beat all but one of the boys in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm last weekend, and trainer Andrew Forsman is hoping she can go one better against her own sex when she returns to the Brisbane venue on Saturday.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Derby Contenders for Forsman
This Saturday is what everything is about for trainer Andrew Forsman – having stakes contenders on either side of the Tasman.