Brilliant Debut Winner for Tale of the Cat
16th December 2007
The Black Opal Qualifier for two year-olds was run at Canberra on Sunday with victory going to exciting prospect De Lightning Ridge (2f Tale of the Cat - Nanny Maroon, by Alzao) , who thrashed the opposition to score by six and a half lengths.Sent out a hot favourite after bolting to an eight length win in a barrier trial on December 3, the Keith Dryden trained filly gave nothing else a chance in coasting home to beat Sarthemare and Hawkeye Hope (2c Hawk Wing - Final Waltz, by Danehill).
The daughter of Tale of the Cat sizzled over the 1000 metres in 57.73 seconds breaking 33 for the final 600 metres in a scintillating display that will have her favourite for the Listed Black Opal Stakes to be run at Canberra in February, although connections may elect to go south for the Group One MRC Blue Diamond Stakes on the same day.
De Lightning Ridge is raced by Lockyer Thoroughbreds having been purchased by her trainer Keith Dryden for $260,000 from the draft of Guntawang Stud at the 2007 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Bred by Charlie Cropper and Peter Wynne, De Lightning Ridge is the third foal of former outstanding racemare Nanny Maroon, a winner of 11 races and close to $400,000 in prizemoney.
Nanny Maroon’s only other foal to race is stakes-placed Coast to the Post, while her three year-old Tall Tales (a full brother to De Lightning Ridge) broke his shoulder in a trackwork accident after showing good ability in the John O’Shea stable.
Nanny Maroon also has a yearling colt by Tale of the Cat for the 2008 sales .
