Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
The Justin Prentice-trained Artful Major was all the rage as the $2.40 favourite in the opening event, the Retravision Pace for two-year-olds at Gloucester Park on Friday night, but he was badly checked about 400m after the start and his stablemate Manhattan Moon was an upset winner as a $26.70 tote outsider.
Several other runners, apart from Artful Major, were badly checked after Arma Believer shifted inwards and caused interference to On The Back Foot. Kabochon, a $6.30 chance, was setting the pace and missed interference.
Kabochon, who sped through the lead time in 36.2sec., overraced badly, with Dylan Egerton-Green, driving Manhattan Moon for the first time, perfectly content to coast along in third place, three back on the pegs.
Arma Believer enjoyed the sit behind the pacemaker before Maddison Brown sent him to the front 200m from home. But Manhattan Moon carried too many guns and burst past Arma Believer 75m from the post before winning by a length from that colt, rating a smart 1.55.6 over the 2130m journey, with fast quarters of 29.7sec., 28.6sec., 29.1sec. and 29.4sec.
Manhattan Moon, bred by Kevin and Annette Charles, now has won twice from ten starts, as well as finishing second to Ten To The Dozen in the APG WA Gold Bullion final in April and second to Thelittle Master in a heat of the Pearl Classic in August.
Manhattan Moon is by the American stallion Control The Moment, and is out of the American Ideal mare Moon Ovr Manhattan, who is a half-sister to prominent sire Follow The Stars, who was a brilliant juvenile performer, earning $707.237 from 19 wins and nine placings from 29 starts.
Moon Ovr Manhattan is also a half-sister to Stefsbest (30 starts for nine wins, eight placings and $150,117) and First Responder, who won the group 1 Nutrien colts and geldings final for two-year-olds at Menangle in August this year.
Kevin Charles said that he purchased Moon Ovr Manhattan as a broodmare after she had raced 23 times in Victoria and New South Wales for eight wins, seven placings and $32,710.
“Moon Ovr Manhattan failed to reach his reserve price at the 2022 Perth APG yearling sale and was passed in,” he said. “So, we kept him, and I sent him to Justin Prentice because I haven’t the facilities to train young horses, having only a sand track.
Justin has always had a high opinion of Manhattan Moon, but he has been a bit of a handful and has been a problem with steering issues.”