Hail Manhattan stars on Sunshine Coast

Sunday, 20 November 2022 | Manhattan Rain sired his latest feature winner when rejuvenated galloper Hail Manhattan claimed the $150,000 Mooloolaba Cup (1600m) in record time at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.

Hail Manhattan was the star of the stand-alone city meeting clocking 1:34.69s for trainers Peter & Will Hulbert and jockey Mark Du Plessis.  He chimed in at the furlong and won eased down by three-quarters of a length from Irish-bred import Aussie Nugget (Dansili).

“We bought him sight unseen as an unbroken 2yo and he’s been bloody good to us,” Will Hulbert said.  “He won last year’s (LR) Tattersalls Cup and this one makes it almost a half-million in prizemoney.

“He comes up every prep and he’s blown them away today.  General wear and tear means we have to look after his joints.  The vet changed a few things and Aidan (Thompson) galloped him on Tuesday and said he hadn’t worked that well in 12 months.”

His Doomben-winning dam Beggin (Benicio) is a descendant of G1 Coolmore Classic winner Strawberry Fair (Whiskey Road) who has 11 Stakes winners under her name.

Manhattan Rain has sired 9 individual winners so far this month including Jigsaw who set a course-record in the $175,000 Apache Cat Classic (1000m) at Cranbourne last Saturday.  And his last-start 3yo maiden winner New York Hurricane is gunning for a Group 2 in the $300,000 Sandown Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield this Saturday, November 26.

Manhattan Rain (Encosta de Lago) is covering his first WA book at Geisel Park for $8,800 alongside All American ($5,500).  Service fees (inc GST).