TDN RISING STARS

December 31, 2016 - MOONEE VALLEY, Race 1, Plate, AUD $0, 1000m, .0000

Tulip (Aus), f, 2, 2014 by Pierro (Aus)

1st Dam: Musidora (Aus) (GSW-Aus, A$167,840), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
2nd Dam: Nice Dancing, by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Grand Luxe, by Sir Ivor

Owner: Coolmore, Cobra, M.J. Kirwan & J.W. Heffernan
Breeder: Orpendale (NSW)
Trainer: David & Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig

Tulip gave 2012 G1 Golden Slipper hero Pierro (by Lonhro {Aus}) his first winner with this tidy debut success at Moonee Valley. Sent off the $2.15 (11-10) favorite on the heels of a half-length trial success at Tatura earlier this month, Tulip jumped with the field, but was taken to second last running up the chute and was at the tail when they hooked up with the course proper. Ridden with plenty of confidence by Craig Williams, the filly was pulled to the outside at the 600m, whipped around her rivals to challenge four deep at the furlong and pulled clear late to take it by a professional 1 3/4 lengths. Chief market rival Pure Emotion (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) was second best. “When I came to the outside, she didn’t just accelerate she lengthened the whole way up the straight without too much pressure,� Williams told Racing and Sports. Co-trainer Tom Dabernig thinks a great deal of Pierro’s first crop. “We’ve got about half a dozen that all look pretty smart,� Dabernig told Racing and Sports. “The ones we’ve got may race in the new year or at the back-end of the two-year-old season, but they have a bit of class.� Dabernig nominated the G1 Blue Diamond S. Feb. 15 as a near-term goal with a possible start in the interim in the Preview or the Prelude. Tulip is a half-sister to former Lindsay Park inmate Sacred Eye (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}), GSW-Aus, A$424,650, and cost NZ$400,000 at the 2016 NZB Premier Yearling Sale. Group 3 winner Musidora, whose deeper female family includes MG1/GISW Erupt (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the good sire Flying Spur (Aus) (Danehill), produced a full-brother to Tulip in 2016, a colt by Zoffany (Ire) in 2016 and returned to Pierro for her most recent cover. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, A$44,000.