Vega For Luck (NZ) Puts Inglewood in Karaka Millions 2YO Picture Again

The Karaka Millions spotlight is nothing new for Inglewood Stud, and more could be coming their way after a debut win by Vega For Luck (NZ) (Lucky Vega) in Saturday’s $25,000 BOP Equine Vets 2YO (950m) at Tauranga.

Inglewood Stud bred and sold last season’s $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) heroine Velocious (Written Tycoon), and they are also the breeders and vendors of Vega For Luck. The promising colt was offered in Book 1 of Karaka 2024, where Ahead All Bloodstock bought him for $60,000.

Saturday’s debut victory earned $14,375 for Vega For Luck, who is now in equal second place on the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO order of entry. That amount of prize-money has historically been more than enough to secure a place in the 14-horse field for the big race.

Vega For Luck went into his first start with strong trial form behind him. He had finished second in his first trial behind Eliza James (NZ) (War Decree), who went on to win on her own raceday debut at Riccarton on September 28. In his only other trial appearance, Vega For Luck won by two and a half lengths at Te Rapa on September 24.

Ridden on Saturday by Vinnie Colgan, Vega For Luck withstood early pressure from Dare To Proisir (NZ) (Proisir) and led throughout the race. He shook free of Dare To Proisir in the straight and pulled away, winning by a length and a quarter from the strong-finishing Luminance (NZ) (Time Test).

“That was good, and I think he’ll improve with more racing and maybe a set of blinkers as well,” said Ben Foote, who trains Vega For Luck in partnership with his son Ryan.

“There was a bit of a battle going on in front, but he lifted well and he’ll learn from that. It’s good to get that money in the bank and qualify for the Karaka Millions. Now we can relax a little bit and just do right by the horse.”

Landlock (Merchant Navy) heads the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO order of entry with $23,000, while Vega For Luck shares second spot on the leaderboard with To Bravery Born (NZ) (Snitzel). The top five is rounded out by Princess Elsa (NZ) (Frosted) and Toretto (NZ) (Ardrossan) with $7,400 and $4,625 respectively.

The next chance for two-year-olds to secure precious prize-money along the road to the Karaka Millions 2YO will be a $40,000 race over 800 metres at Otaki on October 19.

The $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO will be run at Ellerslie on January 25 featuring not only the Karaka Millions 2YO, but also the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), the $1m Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic 4YO (1600m), the $700,000 Group One Sistema Railway (1200m), the $600,000 Group Two Westbury Classic (1400m) and the $250,000 Group Three Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m).