Second on debut when she did a few things wrong, four year-old Zoustar mare Twilight Affair made no such mistakes when racing straight and true to win with ease at Gosford on Wednesday as a short priced favourite.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Twilight Affair was placed at the official two year-old trials at Randwick in September 2019 behind subsequent Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes winner Every Rose, but was sidelined thereafter and not sighted at another barrier trial until October 2021.
She has won all three trials since returning and produced that good form on raceday to take out the 1100m maiden by nearly three lengths with Winona Costin in the saddle.
“She’s a talented mare , so we’ve been very patient with good reason,” said Adrian Bott.
“That looked very comfortable today. She’s had niggling issues through her younger years and it’s taken plenty of time, but hopefully those issues are behind her now.”
A $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Alexia Fraser draft for Jon Kelly/Reg Inglis/Jamie McCalmont, Twilight Affair is the second winner from stakes-placed Exceed and Excel mare Sunset Affair, who comes from an international Black Type family.
She was sold by her original ownership group at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale as a race filly with Adrian Bott Bloodstock purchasing her for $55,000, her ownership now shared by a variety of stable clients in various syndicates managed by Kate Waterhouse.
