Light Of Da Moon wins the Darren DeFilippi Memorial

The Robbie Holmes trained runner Light Of Da Moon (One Over Da Moon) won the coveted Darren DeFilippi Memorial for junior harness racing drivers at Addington tonight (Jul. 21). 

Driver Sam Thornley settled Light Of Da Moon midfield after beginning well from the twenty metre mark, the pair getting a nice drag into the race when Gift Card (Father Patrick) improved three wide. After being caught wide with a lap to run Thornley pressed on, taking the lead at the 950. Just before turning in he pulled the head gear and Light Of Da Moon gained a short advantage. Gift Card came up the passing lane and got close, but Light Of Da Moon came away at the end to win by a length and a half. 

LIGHT OF DA MOON REPLAY

“I said to him (Sam) just get off the fence early. They went 3-19 in her race so it was a pretty good trot. The tighter assessed horses went 3-22. Old Sam did a good job out there,” Holmes said.   

Light Of Da Moon was bred by part owner Lex Williams and his late wife Heather. The five year old mare is out of Leithe Ellen (Muscles Yankee) who’s a half-sister to twenty eight race winner The Fiery Ginga and also to The Fiery Filly (CR Commando) who’s the dam of Smokin Bandar (Monkey Bones). 

Light Of Da Moon has now won six of her twenty seven starts – her first being at Roxburgh in 2021 and the other four at Addington.  

“She’s been prone to a lot of foot infections, blood bloods, one thing or another, but nothing major” Holmes said, commenting on her limited starts. “She’s never been able to get ultra fit.”  

The race is a chance to reflect on the tragic passing of nineteen year old Darren De Filippi who died in a car accident in 1995. 

“Colin would have done a great job in getting him where he needed to be. Darren had a lot of young friends in the industry.”   

Sam Ottley’s win on Kowhai Nugget (Sweet Lou) in Race Three was her 200th at Addington Raceway and the 197th for her Burnham boss Mark Jones. The win continues the hot run of form by the Jones stable which has won forty races this season, placing Mark second equal with Michael House in the National Trainers Premiership. 

It may be early days, but Life Of Art (Art Major) looks like a potential Cup horse. 

The lightly raced five year old owned by Garry Clarke and trained by Amber Hoffman produced a real staying effort over the 1980 metres at Addington tonight. 

After sitting parked for a good part of the race, Life Of Art was left flat footed as South Seas Rock (A Rocknroll Dance) opened a five length gap on the field turning in. But driver Blair Orange lifted his drive and he came again, going on to win by a length and three quarters with Step It Up A Notch (Rock N Roll Heaven) running on for second. 

If he continues to progress, the Hannon Memorial is likely an ideal race for Life Of Art.   

Paul Nairn produced the quinella in the Elmwood Trading Co Handicap Trot when Outamyway (Love You) beat stablemate Masterly (Love You) by three quarters of a length. 

Bred and part owned by southerners Peter and Jan Williams, it was Outamyway’s first win since he won as a pacer at Westport in December 2021. His last win as a trotter was in the Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million at Addington in May 2021 as a three year old. 

Earlier in the night Nairn produced two year old Head Em Up (Waterloo Sunset) to win on debut. 

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink