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The memory of ill-fated Golden Slipper Crystal Lily was recalled at Sandown on Wednesday when her two year-old half-brother Crystal Web defied a big betting drift to post a convincing debut win over 1000 metres at Sandown.
Crystal Lily won the 2010 Golden Slipper before she died tragically from a heart attack suffered in a jump-out in September last year.
Trained by Matt Ellerton and Simon Zahra, as was Crystal Lily, Crystal Web (pictured Racepix Vic) began brilliantly from barrier 10 and was always in contention before pulling clear to win by half a length for Chris Symons.
"He jumped brilliantly, but I had to just push the button a bit early so I could get across a few that were inside me," Symons said.
"I was always confident. He travelled beautifully but he still doesn't know what he is doing. I think he'll make a better three-year-old."
Crystal Web's victory was a good result for David and Jenny Moodie of Contract Racing, who bred the colt and retained him to race.
"He's a nice horse, he's not there yet, he is still pretty skinny and leggy," Matt Ellerton said. "He's got the rest of it in front of him.
"It was the first time he'd had a trip away from home and he fought on well for a horse that isn't switched on and got the race smarts just yet."
Crystal Web is the tenth winner from ten foals to race for outstanding producer Crystal Snip, whose best offspring are headed by Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily and stakes-winners Amaethon and Crystal Wit.
Crystal Snip has an unnamed yearling sister to Crystal Lily and was covered by her sire Stratum last spring.
Making it a double for Hard Spun (pictured) was two year-old filly Coins, who broke through to win at her fifth start over 1400 metres at Warwick Farm after showing good ability with a third in the Group III VRC Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes and a fourth in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes.
A homebred for Darley, trained by Peter Snowden, Coins is the sixth winner from well-bred import Monetary (USA), a daughter of five time Group I winner Make Change and half-sister by Diesis to the dam of Group I winner Stay Thirsty.
Crystal Web and Coins are the second and third Australian winners for Danzig's Group I winning son Hard Spun, who returns to Darley Victoria this year at a fee of $16,500.
Hard Spun has done exceptionally well in the Northern Hemisphere where he is the sire of 50 winners including eight stakes-winners.
Footnote: Hard Spun also sired a new winner in New Zealand where two year-old colt Hayley's Comet saluted by a length and a half at Matamata to give him three Southern Hemisphere first crop winners in a day.
Class: Open. Track: Dead. Time: 1:23.47. Sectional Time: 0:36.10 at 600m. Prizemoney: $27,000 - 1st: $17,550 2nd: $5,400 3rd: $2,430. |
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| 1 | 3. Coins | Peter Snowden | K Mc Evoy (2) |
$4.75
|
56.0 |
||
 2f Hard Spun (USA)
x Monetary (USA)
(Diesis (GB)
)Not Offered |
|||||||
| 2 | 1.5 | 7. Hawkspur | C J Waller | J A Cassidy (1) |
$4
|
55.0 |
|
|
2g Purrealist
x Mollyhawk
(Catbird
) Lot 50; 2012 Inglis Autumn Yearling Sale; Vendor - Makybe, Gnarwarre; Buyer - P Sutcliffe $7,000 |
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| 3 | 4.5 | 5. Daruna | David Payne | C Schofield (7) |
$51
|
54.0 |
|
|
2g Dalakhani (IRE)
x Pas De Deux (IRE)
(Sadler's Wells (USA)
) Not Offered |
|||||||
| 4 | 7.3 | 1. Nikody | Ms B Cheers | Ms K O'Hara (3) |
$12
|
58.0 |
|
| 2g Bel Danoro x Polo Lounge (NZ) (Defensive Play (USA) ) | |||||||
| 5 | 7.6 | 2. Another Lovechild | C J Waller | N Rawiller (5) |
$4.75
|
56.0 |
|
| 2c Magic Albert x Rivers Secret (Flying Spur ) | |||||||
| 6 | 8.8 | 6. Monbazillac | P G Moody | J Bowman (6) |
$4.25
|
56.0 |
|
| 2c Fastnet Rock x Best French (Air De France (USA) ) | |||||||
| 7 | 9.3 | 4. Crowie | T R Martin | J Ford (4) |
$31
|
56.0 |
|
| 2c Redoute's Choice x Zastov (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ) ) | |||||||
| 8 | 10.5 | 8. Anytime Baby | David Payne | G Schofield (8) |
$6.50
|
54.0 |
|
| 2f More Than Ready (USA) x Macedon Princess (Royal Academy (USA) ) | |||||||
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