Dusty dominates D’Urban Stakes

Tearaway tactics helped Dusty Star score an eye-catching victory in the G2 D’Urban Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.  The Peter Morgan trainee established a huge lead mid-race and kept kicking in the straight to beat the favourite Under the Eiffel by a length.

Dusty Star (3g General Nediym – Forever Midnight by Snippets) won on the back of a Flemington victory on January 15 and connections will step him up again for the G1 Australian Guineas.  “He’s a better horse in front but we’re always worried something will take him on,” Morgan said.  “I think he will run the mile of the Guineas even though he is by General Nediym.”

New Zealand based agent Dean Hawthorne bought Dusty Star for $230,000 from Widden Stud at the 2009 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale.  He had initially gone through the sale ring as a foal for $130,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions National weanling sale.

The D’Urban Stakes increased his earnings to more than $218,000.  His dam Forever Midnight is a winning half sister to four winners including the stakes placed Crestfallen.