Twilight Gleaming gets off the mark at Belmont.
The Wesley Ward-trained Twilight Gleaming (2 f ex Thames Pageant by Dansili) got off the mark at the second time of asking when she impressively broke her maiden over five furlongs at Belmont Park on Sunday and in the process became the second winner for Widden Stud Victoria-based sire National Defense (Invincible Spirit).
The two-year-old filly put daylight between her and her rivals in a matter of strides, eventually pulling clear to beat Poppy Flower (Lea) by an emphatic seven and a half lengths. Constitution Gal (Constitution) was another two lengths away in third.
Purchased by Ben McElroy for £75,000 at the 2020 Goffs Ireland Orby Yearling Sale, the filly becomes the second winner out of Thames Pageant (Dansili) and she is herself a daughter of Golden Stream (Sadler's Wells), making her a half-sister to Invictus Prince (Dansili), who finished second behind superstar mare Winx (Street Cry) in the Winx Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) in 2018.
Golden Stream herself is out Group 2 winner Phantom Gold (Machiavellian), the grandam of dual Group 3 winner Fabricate (Makfi) and Listed-winning trio Daphne (Duke Of Marmalade), Sextant (Sea The Stars) and Bluebell (Paco Boy).
National Defense's other runner Filly of Malta was also a winner, breaking her maiden over 1200 metres in Italy on May 8 and the son of Invincible Spirit (Green Desert) will stand the upcoming breeding season at Widden Victoria for a fee of $9,900 (inc GST).
