Promoted to favouritism following the scratching of Degraves, the Grahame Begg-trained Lunar Flare staged a last to first performance in Sunday's $160,000 Listed R.M. Ansett Classic (2400m) at Mornington.
Ridden by Michael Dee, the 6yo daughter of Fiorente (IRE) was happy to lob along at the tail of the field. Instead of coming wide around the home turn, Dee elected to thread the needle between runners. Lunar Flare picked up the bit and charged home to defeat last year's winner High Emocean (Ocean Park), by three-quarters of a length, with the Group II Adelaide Cup winner Good Idea (So You Think), one and a quarter length back in third.
"She likes to be cuddled in the early part of the race as she can get a bit keen on the bit," Begg said.
"It was great to win a Listed race for the ownership group, John Valmorbida, Jack Bongiorno and Mr Kraps. It's fantastic, and she deserves it as she has been wonderfully consistent all preparation.
"It's great to win a nice race here at Mornington.
"She was a very lowly graded mare when we first received her. She has worked her way up through the grades.
"We have only started her at a mile and a half a couple of times, and she has a second win now, which is great.
"We might look at something like the Bendigo Cup. She is a progressive mare, and there is no hint of retiring her at this stage, so we have a little more to look forward to.
Bred by Mojo Thoroughbreds, Lunar Flare advances her record to six wins, three seconds, and six thirds from 25 starts, with earnings of $372,255.
A half-sister to the stakes-placegetters Sea of Tranquility (Dash for Cash) and Eagle Command (by Dash for Cash), Lunar Flare is the best of nine winners from as many to race out of the unraced Encosta De Lago mare My Fair Lago.
Another of the nine winners is Lunar Lights (Bianconi), the dam of the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final winner Honey Steel's Gold (Keep The Faith).
The last recorded foal by My Fair Lago is a 3yo filly by Dark Cove (USA).
Lunar Flare becomes the eighth stakes-winner for Widden Stud's Group 1 VRC Melbourne Cup and Group 1 Australian Cup winner Fiorente (IRE), who is listed as a Premium stallion on Breednet.
