The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Harvest Moon will be given the chance to emulate her Group 1 VRC Oaks-winning dam Pinot after breaking her maiden at start two over 1300m at Cranbourne on Thursday.
In typical Tulloch Lodge fashion, the 3-year-old daughter of The Autumn Sun led from the front under Jordan Childs. Kicking clear on the turn, Harvest Moon safely held the challenge of the Toronado (IRE) filly Aspenado by three-quarters of a length with the Reliable Man (IRE) filly Veronique a length and a quarter back in third.
Harvest Moon was a popular fancy on debut over 1200 at Seymour on August 17 when she blew the start and finished second.
It wasn’t an easy watch but she showed her class and prevailed,” stable representative Rebecca Shanks said.
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uo;After a furlong she was going hammer and tong into a headwind and looked gone, but her class got her through.
“She came down on an Oaks trajectory and has taken a little while to learn her craft. She is putting it together now and ran out the trip well today.
“She is a beautiful filly, and everyone says she is a lot like her mother.
“She is a bit headstrong to ride but a pleasure on the ground.”
Consigned by Arrowfield Stud to the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Harvest Moon was purchased by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Kestrel Thoroughbreds for $420,000.
She is the second winner from as many to race for the 2017 Group 1 VRC Oaks heroine Pinot who was bred to win an Oaks being a daughter of the champion Pierro out of the ATC Australian oaks heroine Dizelle Zabeel), a sister to Hong Kong legend Vengeance of Rain.
Pinot was exported to Japan in 2020 and she has a colt foal by the sire sensation Kitasan Black (JPN).
