Luneluck is out on his own at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Act Of War’s progeny would have been seriously considered at sales this year by the shrewd and his name might be up in lights again soon through the Stuart Ferrie-trained Luneluck, who is owned and was bred by a man who knows all about feature race success, Eric Buhr.
Luneluck was thrown into the deep end on debut when entered in the Camargue Stud KZN Breeders Juvenile Plate over 1200m on the poly.
He showed pace that day until the 300m mark, but then faded out to finish in sixth place, beaten 17,30 lengths by the useful DantonfromSandton.
That was hardly an inspiring debut, but DantondfromSandton did go on to finish second in the Gr 2 @WorldPool Twitter Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m.
Luneluck was backed in from 14/1 to 11/2 on Sunday for a Maiden Plate over 1200m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville turf and in-form jockey Sean Veale made no mistake from a good draw of two.
The gelding showed good gatespeed and early pace and led from the off.
The strongly built chestnut showed an exceptional turn of foot in the straight to run away with it, winning by 4,40 lengths.
Veale said afterwards the yard had actually thought he would win on debut, but explained he knew he was in trouble going down that day, because Luneluck was terribly green and “didn’t know where he was.”
Veale said the horse had improved since that run and added, “I had a gameplan and knew if he flies the gates and has it his own way, he will take a power of beating.”
Luneluck looks to have a promising future.
Act Of War made a fine start to his stud career with two Gr 1 winners among other good performers in his first crop.
He has not had much success with subsequent crops and has therefore not attracted much interest at the sales.
However, what people forget about him is that a sire without grandiose expectations is usually supported in his first season before the support dwindles and it only rises again if his first crop or two of racers did well.
Act Of War’s number of mares decreased dramatically from crop one to crop three.
However, the success of his daughter War Of Athena happened in the 2020/2021 season, meaning the support would have started up again.
The resultant foals from that renewed support would have been on this year’s BSA National Yearling Sale.
The shrewd might have taken a chance on him there.
They might be looking at his 13 lots at the BSA August Two-year-old Sale next week too.
Luneluck himself was on last year’s BSA KZN Yearling Sale and Eric Buhr had to go to R420,000 to buy him back.
