Ageless warrior Destiny's Kiss kicked off his seventh season on the track with a typically fighting win in Friday's $160,000 Listed Carlton Mid Wyong Cup (2100m).
It was the seventh Listed stakes victory for the 9yo gelding advancing his record to 16 wins, 5 seconds and 1 third from 71 starts with earnings of $1,157,018.
That's a whole lot of joy for owner Nick Moraitis who would have let the son of Power Of Destiny go had someone put up their hand for $8,000 at the 2010 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Given every chance by Hugh Bowman, Destiny's Kiss found the back of the odds-on
As Kerrin McEvoy drove Sayed to the lead in the straight, Bowman eased off his back on the Joe Pride-trained Destiny's Kiss who hit the line full of running to stave off The Getaway by a short-neck with Sayed a short-half-head back in third.
Joe Pride said Destiny's Kiss had pulled up well after his close-up fourth in the Premiers Cup at Rosehill last Saturday.
"He didn't have a particularly hard run on Saturday and came here today with something in his legs," Pride told Sky Racing.
"He'd beat these horses easily on a wet track.
"I said to Hugh I didn't have to think too hard about running this horse here today.
"The way he pulled up from Sunday to Monday you could see he was spot on and I loved the way he paraded today. He brought his best game here today and turned up with a win.
"He is one of the smallest horses in the stable but full of courage and we're very proud of him and a good effort from the team at home."
A half-brother to another good money spinner, Emerald City (Bernardini), Destiny's Kiss is 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 a 2yo colt by Pierro and a yearling filly by Star Witness.
She was not served last spring.
