Spacecraft’s march to a Group 1 in the Toorak Handicap continued in fine style at Moonee Valley on Friday night when he won the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap.   The Galileo gelding produced a powerful finish over the concluding stages to reel in the leaders at the end of 1600 metres.

It completed a hat-trick for the Mick Price trained four year-old old following victories in the Listed Penny Edition Stakes in Adelaide and AJS Corporation Hcp at Moonee Valley.

Spacecraft (4h Galileo – Demanding by Octagonal) has won 5 races in 11 starts with earnings of $249,038.  He was an $85,000 buy at the 2008 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale for Perth owners Peter and Kerry Caporn and Barry and Jan McRostie.

“He’s a really nice horse – he’s on the up all the time and he’s got a nice future,” Price said on Friday night.  “I thought he had a little bit up his sleeve.”

A Group 1 would see Spacecraft’s value skyrocket as a stallion.   He is a Galileo half-brother to the Perth winners Demands Attention (Favorite Trick), Cause For Demand (Giant’s Causeway) and Phenomenons (Giant’s Causeway).

Their dam Demanding is owned by Racetree’s Kevin Dixon and she has a 2yo filly by Hotel Grand, a yearling filly by Rock Of Gibraltar and she foaled a colt by Fastnet Rock on September 3.  The Rock of Gibraltar filly will go under the hammer at the 2010 Gold Coast Magic Millions yearling sale.