Manhattan Light impresses at Flemington

Manhattan Rain’s 2YO daughter Manhattan Light raced at Flemington on Saturday as if she had read Gai Waterhouse’s Tip Sheet comments about her:

The step up to 1400m will really suit this filly. She always has looked a filly that will get better with racing and with more distance and now over the seven furlongs she gets her chance to kick start her career. The run around a corner too will benefit the daughter of the great Manhattan Rain. Barrier five suits, she has no weight and she is a great each way chance at decent odds. Each way hope.

Manhattan Light and Stephen Baster took early control of the pace and, when pressured in the straight, the filly stuck on determinedly to finish second, a length behind Dynamic Day and in front of the Redoute’s Choice colt Top Ravine.

Manhattan Light was passed in at the 2014 Inglis Easter Sale, so is raced by her breeder Muzaffar Yaseen who also bred & raced her sire.  Her dam is the Royal Academy mare Whisper Bay, a stakes-winning half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Hurtle Myrtle, from the family of Golden Slipper winner Star Watch.

Whisper Bay was sold for $210,000 at the 2014 Magic Millions Teeley Dispersal and foaled a Manhattan Rain colt last Spring.

Manhattan Rain’s first-crop 3YOs have attracted most attention this season with Moonovermanhattan, Manapine, Ondina, Crafty, Manhattan Avenue and Light Up Manhattan all winning or placing in Group & Listed Races.

However,  Manhattan Rain himself was a high-class Group 1-winning 2YO, so it’s not surprising to see his some of his progeny emerging in city and stakes class at that age. Moonovermanhattan and Crafty won in black type company in the second half of last season, and this year Manhattan Blues has been second in the MRC Inglis 2YO Premier (R) LR and a terrific fourth in the Blue Diamond S. G1.