Second Stakes winner for Hard Spun

Racing second up from a spell, the three-year-old Hard Spun gelding Crystal Web became the second Australian Stakes winner for his sire, recording a dominant display to take out the Listed MSS Security Stakes down the Flemington straight.

Racing just behind the pace, the Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahara-trained galloper defeated Exceed And Excel gelding Flamberge by three quarters of a length to record his second win from eight starts.

Bred by David Moodie’s Contract Racing Pty Ltd, who incidentally bred and raced Hard Spun’s other Australian Stakes winner, the unbeaten Royal Haunt, Crystal Web is out of the Snippets mare Crystal Snip, making him a half-bother to the Group One Golden Slipper-winning, Champion two-year-old Crystal Lily, as well as the Listed winners Amaethon and Crystal Wit. The extensive Black type family also includes G2 winner Carrara as well as Listed winners Crystal Hawk and Crystal Finale.

The sire of 19 Stakes winners including the G1 winners Zo Impressive and Questing as well as the G2 winner Red Duke, Hard Spun will be represented by lot 511 at the forthcoming Inglis Easter yearling sale. Offered by Yarraman Park, the colt is now a half-brother to the recent G2 Al Fahidi Fort Stakes winner Mushreq.