Maurice’s crusade continues at Caulfield

Maurice’s high-class son Cosmic Crusader returned to Caulfield on Saturday to claim the $300,000 MRC P.B. Lawrence S. 1400m G2 with a decisive turn of foot that left seasoned Group 1 performers Private Eye, Evaporate & Pinstriped in his wake. 

Despite a slow start and a wide run until the top of the straight, Cosmic Crusader produced the fastest across-the-board sectionals of the race including a final 600-metre time of 34.38 seconds. 

He has made a bright start to what is shaping up as a milestone 2026/27 season for Maurice, already 4th on the Australian General Sires’ list. 

P.B. Lawrence Stakes | Cosmic Crusader

Two Victorian starts, two wins 🔥 The WA raider continues his hot form with an impressive G2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes victory 🏆

📺 Ch. 78/68, Foxtel 529, Kayo or via our app
REPLAYS: https://t.co/HEhdpozFmy pic.twitter.com/1zpWk11LCI

— Racing.com (@Racing) August 15, 2026

Cosmic Crusader immediately firmed to the second line of betting behind Sheza Alibi for the $1 million Memsie S. G1 over the same course & distance on 29 August. 

Jockey William Pike said, “The horse was fantastic and he looks in great order. A big lovely-striding horse.

“A little bit scratchy at the start but after that we ended up finding a nice position, the pace was nice and even. I sort of eased him into the clear and he kind of took over from there. I didn’t really mean to put him into the race quite like that, but he was going easy and he took me for a ride.”

Bred & raced by leading Perth-based owner-breeders Bob & Sandra Peters, Cosmic Crusader has now won 10 of his 19 starts, including the Northerly S. G1 over 1800 metres, last month’s Bletchingly S. G3, and more than $1.8 million.

Also among the eight Peters home-bred winners of the Northerly Stakes are Truly Great (by Dundeel) and Champion Sprinter Arcadia Queen, now a broodmare at Arrowfield where she has already left Group-placed Federalist. 

Cosmic Crusader is the second foal of multiple stakeswinner Cosmic Storm (by Street Sense), a half-sister of Superstorm (VRC Cantala S. G1) & Listed winner Mikimoto, and a full sister of Listed winner Royal Command. Their wonderful dam, dual Group winner Stormy Nova, was sold to Oakland Park Stud in 2017 and left three more winners before her death in 2024. The female family has been in Australia for 19 generations, tracing to the mare Betty, foaled in 1818, at the Home Bush Stud, site of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. 

Cosmic Crusader has a 2YO full brother named Cosmic Icon, in training with Michael Grantham in WA, and their dam is due to foal to Maurice this month.