The Peters Investments and Grant and Alana Williams show rolled on without Willie Pike in the Group II Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot on New Year's Day.
Pat Carberry won the Cup in 2001 on Lottila Bay, and he gave the favourite Midnight Blue a pearler.
Third in the Perth Cup twelve months ago, the son of So You Think hit the line strongly to defeat Paddy's Shadow (Dane Shadow) by a half-length with Platoon (Playing God) a long neck back in third.
The winner of the Listed Ascot Gold Cup back in November, Midnight Blue advances his record to five wins, three seconds, and five thirds from 19 starts with earnings of $580,200
It was a tenth win in the race for Peters Investments.
Midnight Blue needed to overcome an interrupted preparation due to a hoof problem.
"It was a bit unfortunate, but he caught up and had not lost a lot of work.
"He had the ability to be there and ran third in the race last year, so he proved he could run 2400m, and he has done it again today.
"He has developed and matured. You only have to have a look at him and see what a big strong horse he is.
"He was a late foal and took a long time to catch up."
The Peters Investments homebred is one of three stakes winners for the Zabeel mare Midnight Special.
A sister to Group III Naturalism Stakes winner Rainbow Styling, Midnight Special is the dam of Group II ARC Great Northern Guineas and Group II ARC Easter Handicap winner Demonetization (All Too Hard) and dual Listed winner Neverland (Big Brown), who was runner-up twice in the Perth Cup.
Bob Peters sold Midnight Special for $80,000 at the 2021 Inglis March (Early) Online Sale. She was sold empty having been given a year off in 2020.
The daughter of Zabeel was covered by Highland Reel (IRE) last September.
