Another Crystal Stakes-Winner for Contract

Tara Madgwick - Saturday August 31
David and Jenny Moodie of Contract Racing have bred a lot of good horses carrying the 'Crystal' prefix including Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily and cheered home her three-quarter brother-in-blood Crystal Dreamer to win the Group III MRC Heath Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.




A seven year-old gelding by Stratum, the Matt Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained Crystal Dreamer has had his share of niggling injuries and was resuming from a long spell of nearly a year in the 1100 metre sprint.

Crystal Dreamer - images Grant CourtneyCrystal Dreamer raced up on the pace and always looked a contender before forging clear to win by half a length.

"He's not the soundest horse, although you'd never know it looking at his record," said Matt Ellerton adding a suspensory ligament had been the latest issue to sideline Crystal Dreamer.

"It's just fantastic to see him back like that today."

With 11 wins and eight placings from 28 starts, Crystal Dreamer has been very consistent and while he might lack the glamour of the ill-fated Crystal Lily, he has banked over $590,000 for connections.

A multiple stakes-winner, Crystal Dreamer is the best of six winners from stakes-winner Crystal Wit, a half-sister to Crystal Lily and stakes-winners Amaethon and Crystal Web from top producer Crystal Snip.

Crystal Wit has a two year-old colt by Written Tycoon and was covered last spring by Shalaa (IRE) after missing to Zoustar.

Crystal Dreamer is one of 41 stakes-winners for Widden Stud's much missed sire Stratum, whose place on the Widden roster has been filled by his dual Group I winning son Stratum Star.




Advertisment
More Reading...
King of Roseau Brings Full Circle Moment for Capitalist and Snowden
A decade after Peter Snowden won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic with Capitalist, the champion trainer saddled up the stallion’s son King Of Roseau to win the $2 million Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Via Sistina Retired - Dubawi Her First Mating
Chris Waller has announced the retirement of Champion mare Via Sistina after returning for her autumn campaign not “her normal highly energetic self”.
2026 NZB KARAKA YEARLING SALE PREVIEW – Sky Thoroughbred Central this Monday
Caroline Searcy’s extensive preview of the Centenary New Zealand National Sale will premiere on Sky Thoroughbred Central Monday night at 7.30pm AEDST. This is a must watch chance to see over ten percent of the Book 1 catalogue and a some select Book 2 yearlings as well, ahead of sale ground inspections this week and the Sale’s commencement on Sunday January 25.
Best On Breeding
Two weeks week’s into his 11th season at Widden Stud, the 2005 Group 1 Golden Slipper hero Stratum had a heart attack and died in his paddock.
Sires With Winners - Saturday January 17
Here is the full list of 111 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Torque To Be Sure Survives Protest For 3YO Guineas Win
Torque To Be Sure survived a protest in the stewards’ room to shrug his maiden tag on the biggest stage with a win in the $3 million Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m) on Saturday.
Geese That Lay Golden Eggs – What’s in the Future?
The 2026 Magic Millions Yearling Sale was highlighted by 15 yearlings that sold for $1million or more which was two more than last year when just 13 hit the magic mark, but still considerably down on 2024 which saw 23 millionaires sold following on from 20 in 2023.
Another Widden Bred and Sold Stakes-Winner
The Listed SAJC Queen Adelaide Stakes at Morphettville on Saturday was won in good style by promising Stratum filly Absolute Flirt, a $100,000 Magic Millions Book Two purchase from the Widden draft for O’Brien Thoroughbreds.
Stratum's Legionnaire Breaks Maiden in Exford PLate
The deceased Widden stallion Stratum came close to having a stakes-winner from his final full crop when Absolute Flirt was a luckless second on the Listed Cap D'Antibes Stakes at Flemington but thirty five minutes later he struck with the John Moloney-trained Legionnaire who broke his maiden in the Listed Exford Plate (1400m).
Widden Fairytale Makes for History Making MM 2YO Classic
Going into this Saturday, Widden Stud already had the record for producing more winners of Magic Millions incentive races that any other farm and unbeaten Supido colt Unit Five wrote the latest chapter in this ever-unfolding story.