Underthemoonlight may still have some room for improvement but her raw talent was enough to see her score her second win at her eighth start.
Hamish McQuade, (part-owner and husband of trainer Karyn) was bullish with Underthemoonlight's future endeavours, but could not complain they had been able to get another win out the El Hermano mare in the $30,000 Skycity Hamilton (Open Handicap) over 1400metres here at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Underthemoonlight took on the open handicappers for the second time in a week, after an unlucky second due to greeness at Ellerslie seven days ago. There was no mistake this time.
Underthemoonlight sat outside the leader Aaja Nachle, then took the lead with 250 metres from home, and held on from the late finishing Silhouette Noire to win by three-quarters of a length.
"She's got a lot of ability. She should have won her last start at Ellerslie. She baulked at the advertisement boards when she hit the front. Anna had to take a hold of her. She deserved to win today," Hamish McQuade said.
The win was a bonus for new part-owner Cliff Solomon, a loyal client of the McQuade stable. Solomon signed to become a part-owner in the four-year-old mare just an hour before the race.
"It's great to have Cliff involved in her, and to win too. You couldn't ask for a better person to trainer for," Hamish McQuade added.
Underthemoonlight will now head towards the Listed $50,000 Tauranga Classic (1400m) for fillies and mares on June 25.
Underthemoonlight has now had eight starts for two wins, four placings and more than $40,000 in prize-money.
