May 23, 2025 - Haydock, Race 4, EUR €10,000, 6f 212yT, Novice
Dam: Winters Moon (Ire) , by New Approach (Ire)
Owner: Godolphin (IRE)
Breeder: Godolphin (IRE)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby
Godolphin homebred Wild Desert (Too Darn Hot), who is a half-brother to G1 Middle Park Stakes winners Shadow Of Light and Earthlight, went postward as the even-money favourite for Friday's Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Novice Stakes at Haydock and never gave supporters a moment's worry, coming home with an impressive five-length buffer to attain TDN Rising Star status on debut.
Positioned in a close-up second for most of this seven-furlong contest, he loomed large hard on the bridle with three furlongs remaining and quickened clear in taking fashion once shaken up by Billy Loughnane approaching the final furlong to easily outclass Island Bear (Kodi Bear) by open water.
Wild Desert becomes the third Rising Star for his sire and joins Bauhinia and Thursday's Great Yarmouth winner Postmodern on the roll of honour.
“He's got a super page and did everything very professionally,” said Loughnane. “It was very straightforward and I managed to get a lead into the straight. We didn't go that fast and we filled up round the bend. It took a while for the penny to drop and when it did, in the final three-parts of a furlong, I really liked his attitude. He was quite green today and will come on a lot for that experience. He got the seven [furlongs] no problem and he could come back to six, if the option was there, but seven seems fine.”
Wild Desert is the sixth of seven foals and fourth scorer thrown by G1 Fillies' Mile third Winters Moon (New Approach), herself a half-sister to three stakes performers headed by G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud victor Mandaean (Manduro) and G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Wavering (Refuse To Bend). Wavering is the dam of three black-type performers headed by multiple stakes-winning G1 Prix Rothschild runner-up Life In Motion (Sea The Stars). Winters Moon is a daughter of G3 Prix des Reservoirs victrix and G1 Prix Saint-Alary third Summertime Legacy (Darshaan). The March-foaled bay is a half-brother to G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park Stakes-winning sire Earthlight (Shamardal), last term's G1 Middle Park Stakes and G1 Dewhurst Stakes-winning European champion Shadow Of Light (Lope De Vega) and a yearling colt by Lope De Vega.
4th-Haydock, £10,000, Nov, 5-23, 2yo, 6f 212yT, 1:29.12, g/f.
WILD DESERT (IRE), c, 2, by Too Darn Hot (GB)
1st Dam: Winters Moon (Ire) (G1SP-Eng), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Summertime Legacy (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Zawaahy, by El Gran Senor
*1/2 to Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), G1SW-Eng & Fr, $634,415; Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), MG1SW-Eng, $753,019. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £5,400. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-Billy Loughnane.
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