Winner: Lucky Single Super Debut

Following her promising second on debut, Lucky Single (3 f Lucky Vega – Single In London, by Not A Single Doubt) won the A$42,500 Envu Maiden 3YO 1200 metres on 28 May at Moe (Victoria).

The only runner at the meeting for Te Akau Australia trainer Mark Walker, Lucky Single had closed strongly out of midfield for second when debuting in the Maiden 1100 metres on 9 May at Ararat, and rated a top three chance. 

Ridden by apprentice jockey Logan Bates, who won two Group One races this year aboard Jigsaw, including the Group 1 Sistema Railway at Ellerslie, Lucky Single contested the pace amid a line of three, was pushed up rounding the home turn, and responded with a gutsy effort to wear down Foxsky (Foxwedge).

Adding to the resilient performance, she never appeared overly comfortable on footing downgraded to Heavy10, yet still had the fortitude to deliver.

On Heavy10 footing, Lucky Single ran 1200 metres in 1:15.2 and paid $2.30 & $1.20 on the NZ TAB tote. 

“We had our concerns about the track conditions, but it was a good ride from Logan (Bates) to position her on the pace, where she didn’t have to make up ground,” Walker said.

“It’s great to get a win for Graeme (Gathercole), in his colours and the new ownership group that we’re very pleased to have on board.

“She’s made a great to her career, with a second and a win, and she’s by a young Yulong Stud sire (Lucky Vega) that is doing the job.”

Purchased for A$65,000 by Graeme Gathercole at the 2023 Australian Weanling Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Broodmare Farm, and owned by his company: Rich River Meat Exports Pty Ltd, Lucky Single is from the first crop by successful young sire Lucky Vega, standing at Yulong Stud. 

Lucky Vega is by world-class sire Lope de Vega (Shamardal), out of a mare by reigning Australian Champion Broodmare Sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill).

A Group One winner and twice Group One placed in Europe, Lucky Vega was as a high-class two-year-old and described by his trainer as good-looking and intelligent. His sire, Lope de Vega, won the French 2000 Guineas and French Derby, produced Group winners worldwide and proved a great sire of sires. 

With his oldest crop now three-year-olds, Lucky Vega is the sire of high-quality juvenile filly Within The Law, an impressive stakes' winner in the Listed Inglis 2YO (1000m) on debut at Flemington, she won the Listed Nursery Stakes (1000m) and brilliantly won the Group 2 Embrace Stakes (1200m), both at Randwick. 

While in New Zealand, Lucky Vega is the sire of Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Group 3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) winner That’s Gold. 

Her dam Single In London (Not A Single Doubt), the winner of four races from 1200m – 1600m in Australia, has now left four individual winners of nine races from 900m – 1500m, including dual stakes' winner Ripcord (Written By). 

Lucky Single was strapped by Oceane Gonel.