Bold frontrunner Next Stop The Moon extended his strong record on rain-affected tracks when winning fourth-up from a spell in torrential conditions at Ascot on Wednesday.
The Celtus six-year-old, who started the $2.50 race favourite in the Glenroy Chaff Handicap (1400m), led from go-to-whoa with Pearce Racing’s stable apprentice Chris Graham in the saddle.
The gelding handled the heavy-8-rated surface with aplomb when pinching a break from the 11-horse field approaching the turn and kicking strongly off the bend to fend off Frosty Beverage ($8.00) by a length-and-a-quarter.
Fingermark ($9.00) finished a further half-length away in third place.
Next Stop The Moon went into the race having recorded two wins and three minor placings from six attempts on soft-rated tracks and has now won four of his 18 career starts to date.
The win capped off a wonderful day for prominent thoroughbred owner-breeder, Geoff Evans, who also took out the $225,000 Listed Warrnambool Cup (2350m) with Too Close The Sun on Wednesday.
[PHOTO: Western Racepix]