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Lucky Owners in the Spotlight
Rated the Champion Hong Kong Miler of 2004, exciting young stallion Lucky Owners has recently started to hit his straps as a sire with two smart winners in the last week to go with his previous metropolitan winner Soho Secret and stakes-placed Lucky Thunder.
Not anticipated to sire early two year-olds, Lucky Owners is doing just as expected in firing up towards the back end of the season and with so many untapped youngsters yet to race, the athletic son of champion sire Danehill (USA) could well be a big mover among his peers in the new season.
Stakes-placed filly Lucky Kentucky resumed from a spell of 15 weeks to score an impressive win on her home track of Grafton last Thursday.
Champion HK Miler Lucky Owners stands at a fee of $13,200 |
Recent smart winner Double Reward, pictured as a $240,000 Magic Millions yearling
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Trained by local horsewoman Cathleen Rode, Lucky Kentucky was sent out a short priced favourite for the 1000 metre juvenile maiden and skipped clear to win easily by two lengths in a tick over 58 seconds.
A well bred filly, being the first foal of the Woodman (USA) mare Hanging Garden, Lucky Kentucky was stakes-placed last preparation when she flew home from last on the turn to grab third behind unbeaten Black Minx in the Listed QTC C.E. McDougall Stakes.
Also winning in the past week for Lucky Owners was the Lee Freedman trained gelding Double Reward, who saluted at Geelong last Friday.
Resuming from a spell of 20 weeks following two encouraging runs behind stakes-winning fillies Hips Don’t Lie and Penny Banger back in February, Double Reward relished this easier assignment powering away to win the 1000 metre scamper by more than two lengths in an eye-catching victory.
From the Rory’s Jester mare Double Gay, Double Reward was purchased by Lee Freedman for $240,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions Yearling Sale from the draft of Widden Stud after originally fetching $57,500 at the MM National Weanling Sale the year before and is the second most expensive yearling sired by Lucky Owners.
“He’s a great type and a terrific mover that really covers the ground,” said Sam Pritchard-Gordon, Racing Manager for Lee Freedman.
“We’ve always had a good opinion of him and now that he’s been gelded we expect him to progress through the grades.”
Lucky Owners has received good support since retiring to stud and with some promising results now starting to flow could be a smart horse to take a gamble on this season.
A $350,000 purchase from the Cambridge Stud draft at the 2001 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Lucky Owners was sent to Hong Kong and raced there exclusively with outstanding success.
By champion sire Danehill from the Kaapstad mare Miss Priority (a three-quarter sister to champion racehorse Might and Power), Lucky Owners was given time to find his feet by leading trainer Tony Cruz and when produced at three won his first two starts at 1400 metres.
He blossomed at four to win the HK International Mile Trial HK Gr 2 and backed up to win the Group One HK International Mile, the richest turf event over 1600 metres in the world.
Two starts later he won the $HK14 million Hong Kong Derby HK Gr 1, becoming the first horse to win an event on International Day and win the Hong Kong Derby in the same season.
Lucky Owners retired with the overall record of eight wins and four seconds from 13 starts with earnings in excess of $A4 million.
Given his race record, pedigree and what we already know about Danehill as a sire of sires, Lucky Owners looks a value option for breeders this spring at $13,200.
For further information Antony Thompson, Derek Field 0408 492 495 or Ryan McEvoy (0439 802 837) on tel: 02 6549 9999 fax: 02 65 49 9900 email: info@widden.com |
