Lovely Win Luminous

Stakes' placed as a three-year-old and a winner in the spring, Luminous  (4 m Reliable Man - Keenly, by Keeninsky) resumed with a super win in the $25,000 Rating 72 1400 metres on Saturday at Tauranga.

A white filly, purchased by David Ellis for $180,000 at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, from the draft of Diamond Lodge, owned by the Te Akau Flawless Syndicate (Mgr: Karyn Fenton-Ellis MNZM), Luminous finished third in the Royal Stakes (Gr. 2, 2000m) during three starts in her first campaign, before winning second-up over 1800 metres in October at Taupo, and spelled in December.

She had finished strongly for second when trialling on 25 February at Avondale, behind Group One winning stable-mate Age of Fire (Fastnet Rock), and while expected to find the line strongly her performance exceeded that measurably.

Settling last of seven on a genuine tempo, Luminous tracked four wide into the straight and asserted her superiority at the 200m under rider Roy Kozaki before racing clear to win by four lengths.

“I was really pleased to see her do that,” said Richards, who was left in a quandary for a few starts after her Maiden victory. “I don't know what happened with her last preparation. She was travelling so well coming into her races, but couldn't quicken when the pressure came on and lost her action.

“I'm glad we gave her a spell and I think she's in work at the right time of year, now, heading into the autumn. 

“It was a nice ride by Roy (Kozaki). He put to sleep early, cut the corner and came between horses, and finished off well. I don't think it will be the last time we see her in the winner's circle through this preparation and hopefully we can press on to some better races. 

“She's not the most straightforward at home, so Nicole Shalier and the team in the middle barn have done a great job with her.” 

In a race with only two place dividends on the NZ TAB tote, Luminous paid $7.40 & $3.40, running the 1400 metres in 1:23.0, last 600m in 34.5, on Good3 footing.

Luminous is from the talented race mare Keenly (Keeninsky), winner of three races up to 2200 metres. She has a high-quality depth of stallions on her dam side, with second dam Marlena being by Champion sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram), who in turn is from Success Express mare Vargas Diamond. Success Express is also the dam sire of five-time Champion Sire Savabeel.

Beautifully named and certainly unusual being white all over, Luminous is inbred to some of the most influential stallions of all-time: Northern Dancer, Mr. Prospector, Special, Nureyev, and Sir Ivor.

“She was pretty impressive and certainly looks like she can prove competitive again at stakes level,” Ellis said.

“She had resumed in the spring with a really good second, before winning, and just went off a touch in her next few starts so Jamie did the wise thing in giving her a spell. It's always great to see a horse bounce back from that and we couldn't have asked for anymore than the way she won today.”

Ellis had previously been under-bidder on two white yearlings, both out of The Opera House, which sold for $450,000 and $510,000, and landed a good one in Luminous.

“She's a gorgeous example of the thoroughbred, very athletic, and being a white filly she really does standout,” Ellis said. “She showed a terrific action in her breeze up before the Ready to Run Sale, has excellent conformation, and we were thrilled to be able to purchase her.”

Luminous was strapped by Solene Houbert.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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