24 Sep 2022Flying filly Luberon has earned a special place in our hearts following her dazzling debut performance over 800 metres at Ruakaka.
The precocious youngster was among the first race day representatives for our resident sire Embellish in the first juvenile event in the Northern Districts and a dream result was never in doubt after she surged clear in the straight to distance her rivals.
Her display sparked celebrations on multiple levels as we also retained her to race and warm congratulations go to our retained trainer Lance Noble, who has done an outstanding job with the filly.
Luberon, who also had the honour of being Embellish’s first trial winner at Cambridge earlier this month, bounced straight to the front for rider Vinnie Colgan and with a minimum of encouragement she streaked clear to win by 4l.
“We’re absolutely delighted with that, very chuffed indeed,” Noble said. “To be able to train the first winner from Embellish for Brendan and Jo makes this win all the more special.
“She is well put together although there is still plenty of growing left to do, so it is an exciting future ahead of her.”
Stud Chief Executive Officer Henry Plumptre had been confident of a good performance and was thrilled to see the filly deliver on expectations.
“We’re just letting it sink in a bit as it is a wonderful result for Brendan and Jo, for the stallion and for everyone here at the stud,” he said.
“We would have been disappointed if she hadn’t run top three as she was definitely one of our best filly foals, just a gorgeous type with such a great attitude.
“It’s a very exciting result for Embellish and I don’t doubt that will attract a few more mares to him this season. He is coming into his fourth year at stud and he had a fantastic book of 160 mares last season.”
Noble is now looking forward to formulating a future racing plan for the filly, although a well-earned stint in the paddock is in her immediate future.
“I think a quick break for a few days will do her the world of good and then we can have a look at some summer targets,” he said.
“As long as she handles this well, then we might look at the two-year-old stakes race at Pukekohe in November as a suitable target for her next.”
A half-sister to dual winner Elmaknifiko, Luberon is a daughter of the unraced Fastnet Rock mare Elegant Achiever who hails from a European family that features Group winners Wunders Dream, Grecian Dream, Muffri’ha and Asymmetric.
Elegant Achiever foaled a brother to Luberon in 2021 before a return visit to Savabeel’s son Embellish, who was a multiple winner with his career highlight a runaway success in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.