Ready to Run Sale Graduate Shines at Flemington

4 November 2017

Luvaluva (NZ) in her outstanding win in the Group 2 GH Mumm Wakeful Stakes
Luvaluva (NZ) in her outstanding win in the Group 2 GH Mumm Wakeful Stakes

With the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale now just a couple of weeks away, a graduate of last year’s Sale has starred on one of Australasian racing’s greatest stages.

Luvaluva (NZ) (Mastercraftsman), who was bought for $55,000 last November, came from the back to score an outstanding win in the A$300,000 Group 2 GH Mumm Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Victoria Derby day at Flemington.

Ridden by Blake Shinn for expat New Zealand trainer John Sargent, Luvaluva was last around the home turn but stormed home with a withering late run to score by head.

“She’s a big, strong filly,” Sargent said. “She's shown it from the first trial I gave her as a two-year-old. We put her aside and aimed her for these two races this week.”

Luvaluva will now line up in Thursday’s Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m), for which the favourite is another Karaka graduate – Aloisia (NZ) (Azamour), who has won the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) and the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) in her last two starts.

Luvaluva is raced by Seymour Bloodstock, Mr M L Connaghan, Mr B J Creith, Mr M B Trevaskis, Mr S C O'Brien, Mr A Gennusa and Mr S W Kennelly. She has now had six starts for two wins and a placing, earning A$217,650 in prizemoney.

The Wakeful Stakes result is part of a wonderful run of success for Kiwi breeder Christopher Grace and his wife Susanna. Home-bred mare Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel) won Saturday’s A$1 million Group 1 Kennedy Mile (1600m) at Flemington, and her full-sister Grazia (NZ) (Savabeel) won last Saturday’s Listed Spring Classic (2000m) at Riccarton.

Grace also bred Hard Merchandize (NZ) (Burgundy), the winner of last month’s Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guinas.

Vendor Surrey Farm
Purchaser Mr JG Sargent (New South Wales)
Breeding Mastercraftsman – Wansesingyee
Sale Lot 24, 2016 Ready to Run Sale, $55,000