Night Light will shine
NIGHT LIGHT ran like the stayer he was bred to be when finishing fast for second behind WESTERN WARRIOR on November 12, putting him in good stead to win Saturday’s Andrew HB Aguilar Memorial for two-year-olds at a mile.
Sired by Tracking out of the Hail Orphan mare, Orphan Song, NIGHT LIGHT not only got his grand sire’s dark bay coat but apparently his penchant to stay a distance of ground.
Running for the fourth time, NIGHT LIGHT came home willingly inside the last furlong with Jevvanne Erwin to deny ROCKDALE second at the wire behind WESTERN WARRIOR at 1200 metres.
The Gary Griffiths-trained colt was quietly fancied at odds of 5-1, dropping from an average of 25-1 in his three previous races, suggesting the word was out after being treated with lasix for the first time.
Having closed almost six lengths on all-theway winner WESTERN WARRIOR from the top of the lane, NIGHT LIGHT should thoroughly enjoy Saturday’s additional two furlongs in a rematch with Gary Subratie’s ROCKDALE, who has not done too much at exercise since but has been declared to have a visor replace the blinkers he had worn in his last two races.
Whereas ROCKDALE galloped a half mile in 51.2 last Sunday, NIGHT LIGHT was taken to task by Griffiths, drilled six furlongs in 1:15.4 a day earlier, the fastest time recorded at the distance that morning at exercise.
Erwin, who was aboard the colt for his last three races, has been retained by Griffiths whereas Oneil Mullings replaces Aaron Chatrie astride ROCKDALE.
Chatrie, meanwhile, is down to partner Subratie’s other runner in the nine-horse field, PROUD OF NUCLEAR, who is out for the second time after finishing three-and-aquarter lengths behind 1000-metre round Royal Lancaster trophy winner, AKASH, two weeks ago.