Having shown clear promise in her first two starts, Lucky Luna took a notable step forward at Salisbury on the 9th June, winning a strong 7f novice featuring several well-regarded runners from leading yards.
Lucky Luna and Sean Levey made the most of their inside draw in stall one, breaking sharply to secure a prominent position at the head of the field. The pair quickly settled into a good rhythm, going a strong pace through the opening furlong to establish control before easing the tempo through the middle stages of the race.
Several rivals found it difficult to get involved off the steady pace from their positions. Sean angled our filly into the centre of the track approaching the closing stages and she responded well when challenged, galloping on gamely to score by half a length. She saw out the trip well and, based on both her pedigree and the manner of this determined performance, a step up to a mile should hold no concerns. She also showed she handled the softer surface well, which should provide her with plenty of options as the season progresses.
After the race, jockey Sean Levey gave us his verdict on the performance:
“I wasn’t comfortable with the way she was moving on the ground towards the road so angled her towards the centre and she improved her action. I don’t think Chester will have suited her last time as she is a galloper and I think the softer ground helped her today.”
Trainer Richard Hannon reported after the race:
“I am delighted with her. She has run a really nice race. She had a good draw today and made good use of it. Her first try here she was drawn poorly and still ran very well so we were hopeful of a performance like that today with a better draw”.
It has been a pleasure to see Lucky Luna progress with each of her starts, and this represented another significant step forward. Winning a race that looked to contain plenty of quality, she showed a likeable attitude throughout, travelling smoothly before galloping on gamely when challenged. This deserved first success is unlikely to be her last, and her owners can look forward to plenty more enjoyable days with her in the future.
