A lightly raced daughter of Mastercraftsman (IRE), Luvaluva won the Group II
VRC Wakeful Stakes in the spring and was fourth on the Group I VRC Oaks. Having her second run back from a spell she surged home to win the 1600 metre feature by a long neck, her third win from nine starts with prizemoney topping $380,000.
A Kiwi now based in Australia, her trainer John Sargent has won Oaks races in Australia with Kirramosa (VRC), Quintessential (BRC) and Gust of Wind (ATC), so Luvaluva will be well primed for her coming assignments.
"That was above expectations at the mile but when they're good, they're good," said Sargent.
"She has a bit more scope (than the other good three-year-old fillies I've trained). She already looks like a mare and I think she'll train on to be even better at four.
"It's onwards and upwards."
A $55,000 NZB Ready to Run purchase from the Surrey Farm draft for her trainer, Luvaluva has an interesting mix of speed and stamina in her pedigree as she is the first winner for unraced Galileo mare Wansesingyee, whose dam is a three-quarter sister-in-blood to sprinting stakes-winner Secret Flyer.
Luvaluva is one of 46 stakes-winners for former Windsor Park shuttler Mastercraftsman (IRE), a dashing grey son of Danehill Dancer that stands at Coolmore in Ireland and has left seven Group I winners including English St Leger winner Kingston Hill.
