Midnight Blue was purchased by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for $92,500 when offered by Bob Peters through Inglis Digital after finishing fifth in the 2023 Seymour Cup. Twelve months on Midnight Blue captured Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Bet 365 Seymour Cup (1600m).
Trained by Mark Walker, the 8-year-old son of So You Think was given a peach by Daniel Stackhouse at his first start in 18 weeks. Settled third on the fence, Midnight Blue did not go around a horse to defeat the 7-year-old Australia (GB) gelding Earl Of Tyrone, who was making his Australian debut for Ciaron Maher, by a length. Last year’s Sale Cup winner, Maktoob (Awtaad) was three-quarters of a length back in third.
The 2022 Group II WATC Perth Cup winner, when trained by Grant and Alana Williams, Midnight Blue, advances his record to seven wins, five seconds, and five thirds from 34 starts with earnings of $902,325.
“Credit to the team, with had him for nearly a year, and he has a new lease on life,” assistant trainer Ben Gleeson said.
“His last jump out was super, and in the last week, his coat is glowing with dapples like apples. I’m thrilled for the connections who committed to go back in to him, and they have been rewarded.
“There is a nice race on the last day of the carnival, the Country Cup Final worth half a million. Four weeks to that is probably the perfect lead-up.”
Bred by Peters Investments, Midnight Blue 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, Group II Tauranga Stakes, 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 after being given a year off in 2020.
Midnight Special has a 2-year-old Highland Reel (IRE) filly named High Mulan and a yearling filly by Pierro. She visited Toronado (Ire) last spring.
