Moonlight Cloud claims first win through son Moon Watch at Nottingham

The breeding career of Moonlight Cloud has been far beneath her exploits on the track so far but there was a glimmer of light from the debut victory of Moon Watch at Nottingham.

George Strawbridge's Moonlight Cloud was one of the most accomplished racemares of recent times. Her haul for Freddy Head included three editions of the Prix Maurice de Gheest, a Moulin, a Foret and a Prix Jacques Le Marois.

She was also noted for getting close to any horse to denting the spotless career of Black Caviar, finishing a head behind the Australian great in the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

Moonlight Cloud, by Invincible Spirit, retired after running in Hong Kong in 2013 and has delivered three foals that have made the track from elite sires. Moony, by Galileo, made the frame a few times for Head but Fresno, by the same sire, and Cloudy, by Dubawi, were not up to much in brief careers.

View result and watch replay here

Moon Watch, another Dubawi colt sent to John and Thady Gosden, was making a belated three-year-old bow, and looked as if there was plenty more to come as he edged out the more experienced Devoted Poet with the pair well clear in the Join Racing TV Now Maiden Stakes over an extended mile.

Jockey PJ McDonald told Racing TV: "He's got potential, he's in the right hands, let's just hope he takes today on his chin and moves forward nicely."

The next in line is with Head, the Sea The Stars-sired two-year-old filly Partly Cloudy.

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