Gelorup trainer Tim Crosby believes his fleet-footed mare Sunlit Fresco can bridge the gap between a Bunbury Class 1 and a black-type feature race at Ascot on New Year’s Day.
Sunlit Fresco is a Ridgeport Holdings graduate and she blitzed a field of restricted sprinters in the TABtouch Hcp (1200m) at Bunbury on Sunday. In a performance that mirrored her maiden win at the south-west track in June, she hit the ground running and cruised home under Alex Hearn to score by more than two lengths from Duke Of Wellington (Epaulette) and Zeezea (Patronize).
“She’s a magnificent type and has been a standout since Day 1,” Crosby said on Tuesday. “She’s pulled up extra well and will go again in an Ascot graduation over 1100m on December 7. If everything goes to plan, we will then set her for the Summer Scorcher!”
Kath and Tim Crosby with owner Brent Hunt following Sunlit Fresco’s maiden win at Bunbury / Photo: Wesern Racepix
The 2025 LR Summer Scorcher (1000m) on Perth Cup Day holds no fears for Crosby having run a close third with Cut The Talk (Oratorio) in this year’s renewal won by Ghost Who Walks (God Has Spoken). Cut The Talk is part-owned by Tim’s wife Kath and he won a Pinjarra maiden down the straight last year before adding more short-course victories over 1000m at Belmont (2) and Ascot.
“I put Sunlit Fresco up against Cut The Talk in a gallop when she was still an unraced 2yo and he couldn’t keep up with her,” Crosby recalled. “We’ve let her mature with some extended breaks and Sunday’s win was only her sixth start.”
Sunlit Fresco is from the sixth and final crop of Fighting Son (Northern Meteor) who stood at Sun Stud in Victoria. Her dam Sistine Spirit (Big Brown) was a 3yo maiden winner at Sandown Lakeside and is a half-sister to Sistine Angel (G2 VRC Edward Manifold Stakes) and Sistine Demon (G3 MRC Victoria Hcp).
Ridgeport (as agent) sold her for $40,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions to former Kalgoorlie-Boulder Race Club vet Dr Brent Hunt and his brother Tony. “I wasn’t involved at the Yearling Sale but Brent has raced lot of winners and is obviously a good judge,” Crosby continued. “He studied her pedigree and she ticked all the boxes on type, too.”
Sunlit Fresco was the fourth Ridgeport graduate to salute the judge last week following Rommel 3yo Caporetto (Belmont) and the Safeguard winners Safe Hustle (Geraldton) and Miss Flirtacious (Ascot).
