Pride of Dubai Group Double

Tara Madgwick - Saturday September 28

Pride of Dubai has had two Group winners in two days with Pride of Jenni taking out the Group II MVRC Feehan Stakes last night at Moonee Valley then on Saturday his Kiwi bred son Desert Lightning struck top form for his new trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman to win the Group III MRC Sandown Stakes (1500m)

Desert Lightning wins the G3 Sandown Stakes - Scott Barbour / Racing Photos

Desert Lightning was a five-race winner and million-dollar earner in New Zealand for the now-retired training team of Peter and Dawn Williams. He finished fourth in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old and second in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at three, then went to a new level last season with scintillating wins in the Gr.1 TAB Classic (1600m) and the inaugural $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m).

He made his debut for Moody and Coleman with an eye-catching third in the Listed Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 7, and he was right at the peak of his powers second-up on Saturday.

Jockey Luke Nolen had Desert Lightning handily placed in third, then pounced at the top of the straight. The five-year-old sprinted to the lead before the 200m mark and dashed clear to win by a length over race favourite Craig.

“I was very pleased with what he did first-up in a sprint race at Moonee Valley under a big weight,” Nolen said. “His work through the week suggested he’d bounced through that run well and would be a big chance in this race. He still has a bit of improvement left in him too, so I don’t think this is his ceiling.”

Desert Lightning was a $190,000 purchase by Peter and Dawn Williams from Little Avondale Stud’s draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2021 and has now had 20 starts for six wins and seven placings with $1.2 million in prizemoney for his owners, Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer’s Barneswood Farm.

“We’ve been really pleased with how he’s progressed since his first-up run, and we still think he’s got a bit more to come, which is exciting,” Katherine Coleman said.

“He’s a really, really nice horse. We’re incredibly thankful to the connections for putting him in our stable.

Advertisement

“He’ll head towards the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) now. Provided he takes the improvement that we still think he’s got to come, he’s an exciting prospect for a race like that. The mile looks like it’s really his sweet spot as far as distances are concerned, so that race stands out as the obvious target.

“He’s a bit of a quirky boy. He took a little while to settle in at our stable, but he’s been doing everything right lately and we’ve been very pleased with him.”

Desert Lightning is now a Group winner in Australia - image Scott Barbour / Racing Photos

Bred by the Mahoenui Partnership, Desert Lightning is the best of three winners from High Chaparral mare Isstoora, an unraced daughter of stakes winning juvenile Murjana from the Twyla branch of the Redoute’s Choice family that has produced Group I winners Gathering, In Italian and Tom Kitten.

Isstoora was bred by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum and was onsold at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for $90,000 to Bruce Perry Bloodstock and made her way to New Zealand with a positive test to Pride of Dubai and Desert Lightning was the result of the mating.

She has been married to Per Incanto (USA) in recent years and has an unnamed two year-old filly and yearling colt by the son of Street Cry, but no foal this spring after having a year off in 2023.

Pride of Dubai is unbeatable value at Coolmore this spring at a fee of $22,000.

Advertisment

Race Result - Sportsbet Sandown Stakes Gr3 1500m

Sandown-Hillside Track: Good(4) Time: 1:29.79
1
Desert Lightning
- 5g Pride Of Dubai (AUS) x Isstoora (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: L Nolen 59.5
Pride Of Dubai
NZB Karaka Book 1 $150,000
Seller: Little Avondale Stud
Buyer: PJ & DM Williams
2
1
Craig
- 4g Territories (IRE) x Travel Writer (IRE) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: L Currie 54
3
1.8
Magnaspin
- 5g Magnus (AUS) x Luxaspin (AUS) (Hard Spun (USA))
Tnr: L & T Corstens & W Larkin Rdr: H Coffey 54
Magnus
Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale $60,000
Seller: Maluka Thoroughbreds, Avenel
Buyer: Bennett Racing
4
2.5
Bank Maur
- 5h Maurice (JPN) x Banksia (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Richard Laming Rdr: Patrick Moloney 54
5
3
Nicolini Vito
- 7g Nicconi (AUS) x She's Cherryrype (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: M J Dee 54.5
6
3.1
Holymanz
- 5g Almanzor (FR) x Perfect Offering (AUS) (Dubawi (IRE))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Declan Bates 54
7
3.8
Communist
- 5g Russian Revolution (AUS) x Cappadocia (AUS) (Northern Meteor (AUS))
Tnr: Michael Freedman Rdr: Jye McNeil 54
8
4.6
Savannah Cloud
- 7g Savabeel (AUS) x Annie Higgins (NZ) (O'reilly (NZ))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: Lachlan Neindorf 54.5
9
8.1
Griff
- 4h Trapeze Artist (AUS) x Chateau Griffo (AUS) (Sebring (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: Ethan Brown 58
More Reading...
Can Kiwi Owned Desert Lightning give Pride of Dubai another G1?
Kiwi-owned Group One winner Desert Lightning will be out to double his elite-level tally when he returns to Eagle Farm on Saturday to tackle the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
Capitalist 2YO Wins for Doyle
Nathan Doyle and his team would be bubbling with excitement surrounding the return of their unbeaten G1 star Private Harry, but as they say ‘little fish are sweet’ and the stable were in the winner’s circle at Wyong on Tuesday with a two year-old son of Capitalist.
One To Watch – Randwick
After impressing on debut, the Chris Waller trained 3yo Super Seth filly Frosty Girl (NZ) took on the older mares on the Kensington track, remaining unbeaten with another stylish victory to become Breednet’s One To Watch.
Hong Kong Buyer Secures Top Lot June (Late) Sale at $500,000
The impact of the recent success in Hong Kong of horses sourced on Inglis Digital was in evidence today, with the top lot and the third top lot bought by Hong Kong-based owners.
Irish Oaks Possible for Royal Ascot Fairytale Filly
The biggest story in terms of our audience reads from Royal Ascot last week was by far and away the one on the Aussie owned underdog three year-old filly Cercene, who captured the Group I Coronation Stakes.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday June 25
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Pride of Dubai Star Desert Lightning Chasing Another G1
Waikato hoop Vinnie Colgan will trek down to Otaki on Saturday to partner exciting four-year-old Desert Lightning in the Gr.1 Trackside Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m), and he is hoping his charge can live up to his favourite’s tag.
Storm Boy Retired to Coolmore Australia
An utterly dominant winner of the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, the hugely exciting son of the international sire sensation Justify is set to join the Coolmore Australia roster in 2025.
Big Weekend Looms for Barneswood Farm
Ashburton couple Sarah and Chris Green and business partner Ger Beemsterboer have experienced plenty of highs in racing under their Barneswood Farm banner, but this weekend could prove to be the pinnacle in their racing endeavours.
Positive Build Up to Karaka Weanling Sale
Stars of the future go under the hammer at Karaka on Thursday with New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale set to commence at 10am.