My Xanadu (AUS)
3 f Fastnet Rock – Lights Of Heaven by Zabeel
O: Mrs J Wanless
B: Mrs J Wanless
T: Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman
W: Roderick Insurance Maiden Plate, 1212m, April 24, Geelong
My Xanadu (Fastnet Rock) made a winning start to her career when taking out a maiden over 1212 metres at Geelong on Wednesday.
Trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, the three-year-old is out of Moody’s 2011 Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2008m) winner Lights Of Heaven (Zabeel).
Sent off a $5 chance in the nine-runner field, My Xanadu raced prominently under Linda Meech before running out a comfortable 0.5 length winner from the more experienced Idhana (I Am Invincible) with a further 2.3 lengths back to the third-placed Buzz City (Merchant Navy).
“She nearly pulled up. I think she knew she had it won and was coasting,” Meech said.
“She has an outstanding pedigree, and it’s great for [owner-breeders] Ron and Judy Wanless. They should put her on the plane to Queensland where the Wanless’ can see her in their home state. She is a very nice filly.”
A homebred for the Wanless family, My Xanadu is a half-sister to the SAJC Oaklands Plate (Listed, 1400m) winner He’s Heaven (Zoustar) being the fifth winner from as many to race out of Lights Of Heaven, who also registered four further Group wins alongside her Oaks success.
A So You Think (High Chaparral) foal from Lights Of Heaven died after birth last spring, and she missed to Wootton Bassett (Iffraaj) last season.