Listed Mornington Cup, $300,000, 2400m
Crystal Pegasus (GB) (Australia {GB}) just keeps doing the job, this success his fourth in a row and his second at stakes level on the back of his 5l victory in the Listed Roy Higgins Quality.
The winner of seven of his 20 starts, he is the third imported Listed Mornington Cup winner in a row, noting that last year's winner Mount Popa (Ire) (Maxios {GB}) was also in winning form today - taking out the G3 Neville Sellwood S. at Rosehill.
And the pair share another link, both horses being descendants of the 1958 G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp winner Lilya (Fr) (Clarion {Fr}).
Bred by Southcourt Stud and purchased by Chris Waller Racing for 190,000 gns (AU$355,000) at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, Crystal Pegasus is the first Australian stakes winner (and one of his 23 overall) for his Coolmore Ireland-based, G1 Epsom and Irish Derby-winning sire Australia (GB), the regally bred son of Galileo (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}) and Ouija Board (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}).
A half-brother to the stakes-placed Crystal Hope (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Crystal Pegasus is out of the placed Crystal Etoile (GB) (Dansili {GB}) whose Listed-winning dam Crystal Star (GB) (Mark Of Esteen {Ire}) proved to be an outstanding broodmare with two Group 1 winners - Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) as well as the four-time Group winner Crystal Capella (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and the Listed winner Crystal Zvezda (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Further back this is the family of Danzig (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}) to whom Crystal Pegasus is line-bred 5 X 4.
Listed Hareeba S., $200,000, 1200m
A longshot success for Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) who was having his first run since the spring. Sparingly raced by the Michael Moroney stable, the talented 4-year-old was bred by Aquis Farm and purchased by Pike Racing for NZ$240,000 at the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale (Book 1).
A Group 2 winner in New Zealand in 2019, Not An Option is one of his retired sire's 79 stakes winners. His dam is the dual Group winner Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel), half-sister to the G1 Auckland Cup winner Chenille (NZ) (Pentire {GB}).
Served last spring by King's Legacy (Redoute's Choice), Chintz has the Invader (Snitzel) 2-year-old Ruby Society in the Kacy Fogden stable.
Boasting a cross of the wonderful mare Best In Show (USA) (Traffic Judge {USA}) via her descendants Redoute's Choice (Danehill {USA}) and Try My Best (USA) (Northern Dancer {Can}), Not An Option is a grandson of the G3 Challenge S. winner Seraphic (NZ) (Imposing) - also grandam of the dual Group winner Irlanda (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) and third dam of the dual Group 1 winner Mo'unga (NZ) (Savabeel).
