Destiny's Kiss Adds a Ninth Cup to the Trophy Cabinet

Mark Smith - Saturday May 26

After running second in the race four years ago, Nick Moraitis' old warhorse Destiny's Kiss added another trophy to the cabinet in Saturday's Listed McKell Cup (2400m) at Randwick.

Making his 83rd start, Destiny's Kiss responded to hard riding by Jay Ford to down a defiant Naval Warfare (IRE) by a neck with the favourite Our Century (IRE) another one and a quarter lengths back in third. (photo Steve Hart ). 

It was the ninth Listed stakes win for the 9yo son of Power Of Destiny and all have been in cup races.

It advances his overall record to 18 wins, 5 seconds and 12 thirds from 83 starts with earnings of $1,383,818.


"I wish they were all as easy to train as him," Pride told AAP.

"He never seems to get tired and he loves being in the stable.

"I don't know how I'll ever be able to retire him. We're looking at the Brisbane Cup. He will get a lot of weight but I think he deserves a go.

"As he was coming down the straight I knew he was in with a chance. He is such a gallant horse and never runs second so I thought he would get past the other horse.

"He's not very big but he's all heart."

Retained to race by his breeder Nick Moraitis when failing to make his $8,000 reserve at the 2010 Inglis Classic Yearling sale, Destiny's Kiss is a half-brother to another good money spinner, Emerald City (Bernardini).

He is out of the stakes-placed Stravinsky (USA) mare A Fairy's Kiss who is a sister to Listed stakes winner and Group 1 VRC Oaks runner-up Miss Scarlatti and a half-sister to Listed stakes winner Abidewithme (Redoute's Choice).

A Fairy's Kiss has a 3yo So You Think colt named Think Straight who recently broke his maiden at Hawkesbury at his second start, and an unraced 2yo colt by Pierro named Live The Moment. She also has a Star Witness yearling filly.

Not covered in 2016, a Fairy's Kiss visited Rebel Raider last spring.

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