The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained A Beautiful Night put one on the board for Darley Stud’s one season shuttler Night of Thunder (IRL) when she finished best to down a gallant Bombay Rocket in the New Year Sprint (1000m) down the straight at Flemington.
Second behind the highly regarded Exceed And Excel filly Award Winner when on debut at Bendigo on December 15, A Beautiful Night found herself the meat in the sandwich when the eventual third-placed Stormborn (Headwater) sprinted quickly at the 300 metres then rolled in just as the leader Bombay Rocket was drifting in.
A Beautiful Night powers home to give Night Of Thunder his first winner
John Allen had to steady A Beautiful Life and she did well to gather herself up and chase down Bombay Rocket (Snitzel) to win by a nose with Stormborn a length back in third.
“It was a great run at her first start and she has made good improvement and it was a very good win today,” Allen said.
“She’s very mature, did everything right and settled into a good rhythm. She’s not the finished article yet but hopefully, she can improve from here.
David Eustace said they have stakes ambitions for the daughter of Night Of Thunder (IRE).
“She’s a tough filly who came through her first run really well but we were in two minds whether to give her a little freshen and look towards the (Blue Diamond) Previews but we pushed on and it paid off,” Eustace said.
“It’s a month to the first Preview race, which gives us a chance to give her a week off. I’m absolutely delighted for the owners who are new to the stable and we are very grateful for their support.”
A Beautiful Night - images Grant Courtney
A Beautiful Night is the second and final foal of the winning Gonski mare Lindyhop who died in 2017.
A half-sister to seven winners, Lindyhop was a daughter of the Kenamre mare Lindleywood Lass who is a three-quarter sister to Group II Gloaming Stakes winner Classy Fella and dual Listed stakes-winner Grand Connection out of the Group II VRC Bloodhorse Breeders Plate winner Twirled.
A Beautiful Night is one of 58 live foals left by Dubawi’s Group1 Lockinge Stakes and 2,000 Guineas hero Night Of Thunder (IRE) who has made an extraordinary start to his career in the Northern Hemisphere where he was crowned the leading first crop sire in Europe.
