Six years after he earned his first stakes win in the Listed Winter Cup, the 'little Aussie battler' Destiny's Kiss did it again at start number 97 at Rosehill on Saturday.
The lone Australian bred runner in the 10-horse field, Destiny's Kiss raced midfield under Sam Clipperton before staving off the finish of the luckless Yogi (NZ) by a short-head with Mazaz (IRE) a head back in third in a thrilling finish.
A year out
of the winner's circle, the rising 11-year-old son of Power Of Destiny took his
stakes tally to ten while advancing his record to 19 wins 6 seconds and 16 thirds
from 97 starts with earnings of $1,557,293 and trainer Joe Pride said he is far
from done yet.
"That was amazing, he won it, he lost it and he won it again, that was very, very special," Pride enthused.
"He was gone at the 600m, absolutely gone, it's just the way he finds under pressure.
"It was a good field today, I was watching the parade and thinking it's a lot different from what we were facing two or three years ago in staying races with these big, strong imported horses but the little Aussie battler got them.
"He's a long way from being retired this horse. I said to people through the week that I've got two and three-year-olds closer to retirement than him.
"Congratulations to (owner/breeder) Nick (Moraitis) he would be very proud of him. He is an emotional sought of bloke and I'm sure he will have a tear in his eye."
Retained to race by Moraitis after failing to make his $8,000 reserve at the 2010 Inglis Classic Yearling sale, Destiny's Kiss is the best of six winners from seven to race out of the stakes-placed Stravinsky (USA) mare A Fairy's Kiss who is a sister to Listed stakes winner and Group 1 VRC Oaks runner-up Miss Scarlatti and a half-sister to Listed stakes winner Abidewithme (Redoute's Choice).
A Fairy's Kiss has an unraced 2yo Star Witness filly named Stellar Kiss and a weanling colt by Rebel Raider. She was covered by So You Think last spring.
