Desert Lightning (NZ) Dynamic in Sandown Stakes

Previously a black-type star in New Zealand at the ages of two, three and four, quality Karaka graduate Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) announced his arrival in Australia with a stylish second-up win in Saturday’s A$200,000 Group Three Sandown Stakes (1500m).

Desert Lightning was offered by Little Avondale Stud in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, where his former trainers Peter and Dawn Williams bought him for $150,000. He has now had 20 starts for six wins and seven placings, earning $1.23m for owners Sarah Green and Ger Beemsterboer’s Barneswood Farm.

The early career of Desert Lightning was a story of steady improvement under the respected eyes of the Williams team. He finished fourth in the Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old, then returned at three to win the Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m) and place in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and a star-studded edition of the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).

Desert Lightning scaled new heights as a four-year-old last season, scoring outstanding victories in the Group One TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham and the inaugural $1m Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic 4YO (1600m) on Karaka Millions night at Ellerslie.

Now trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, Desert Lightning produced an eye-catching resuming run for third in the Listed Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley in early September. He went to a new level second-up and landed his first stakes win in Australia.

Desert Lightning settled in a handy position in third until the home turn, when jockey Luke Nolen angled him out into the clear and set out after the leaders. Desert Lightning quickened smartly and bounded to the lead, opening up a clear advantage that the late-finishing Craig (Territories) and Magnaspin (Magnus) had no chance of pulling back. Desert Lightning galloped out strongly to win by a length.

 “I was very pleased with what he did first-up in a sprint race at Moonee Valley under a big weight,” Nolen said. “His work through the week suggested he’d bounced through that run well and would be a big chance in this race. He still has a bit of improvement left in him too, so I don’t think this is his ceiling.”

Coleman suggested that next month’s Group One Toorak Handicap (1600m) is now a likely target.

“We’ve been really pleased with how he’s progressed since his first-up run, and we still think he’s got a bit more to come, which is exciting,” Coleman said. “He’s a really, really nice horse. We’re incredibly thankful to the connections for putting him in our stable.

“He’ll head towards the Toorak now. Provided he takes the improvement that we still think he’s got to come, he’s an exciting prospect for a race like that. The mile looks like it’s really his sweet spot as far as distances are concerned, so that race stands out as the obvious target.

“He’s a bit of a quirky boy. He took a little while to settle in at our stable, but he’s been doing everything right lately and we’ve been very pleased with him.”

Vendor	Little Avondale Stud
Purchaser	PJ & DM Williams (Auckland)
Breeding	Pride Of Dubai – Isstoora
Sale	Lot 454, Karaka 2021 Book 1, $150,000
Bred by	Mahoenui Partnership