$2.5 million Inglis Easter sale-topper Magic will have to wait for another day to break his maiden after coming up short against a well bred first start by Fastnet Rock.
Twice Group placed last season, Magic was a very short priced favourite for the 1400m maiden, but could not run down the John O’Shea trained Fastnet Rock gelding Stroke of Luck.
Stroke of Luck had been given a good education at the trials and was well ridden by Hugh Bowman to score a half length win.
A $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Yarraman Park draft for John O'Shea Racing / James Bester Bloodstock / Eric Lucas, Stroke of Luck is a three-quarter brother to Group I South Australian Derby winner Leicester.
He is the fourth winner four foals to race from Galileo mare Defy the Odds (GB), a placed half-sister to Group III winner Index Linked.
Stroke of Luck is bred on the phenomenally successful Fastnet Rock x Galileo cross that has produced 98 winners from 123 starters with 27 stakes-winners, nine of them Group I winners. The SW to runner strike rate is close to 20%, so it might pay to follow Stroke of Luck through his classic season!
