Leading horseman Ricki Alchin took one look at Lux Aeterna at Brooklyn Lodge last year and quickly told popular owner Alf La Spina not to even consider selling her.
That expert eye paid dividends at Club Menangle on Saturday night when the daughter of Captaintreacherous showed remarkable acceleration to clear out and win the $50,000 Pink Bonnet for the two-year-old fillies.
In short, Lux Aeterna toyed with her rivals, zipping away to an unbeatable lead on the home turn and going on to score by five and three-quarter metres, easing down, from Remi Lou (Josh Gallagher), with La Derniere (Jack Trainor) a further nine and three-quarter metres back in third place.
The winner, pictured above, rated a quick 1:54.3 to become the fastest two-year-old filly in Australia so far this season.
“She’s a lovely filly,” said Alchin as he returned to the enclosure.
“She’s mature for her age and she has a good mind, which is a great asset.
“I went into tonight’s race feeling pretty confident, but you never know what you could come up against.
“But this horse is the complete package and now I just hope she can go on with it.”
Alchin admitted he didn’t want to get too far ahead of himself – but said the Bathurst Gold Tiara was definitely on the agenda for Lux Aeterna.
Earlier in the night, he looked one of the ‘anchors’ for the night and Port Au Prince proved just that with an easy win in the Lady Drivers Invitational at Club Menangle.
Of course the fact one of Australia’s leading drivers, Amanda Turnbull was in the sulky only enhanced their chances.
And Turnbull relished the opportunity to combine with fellow Teal ambassador, trainer KerryAnn Morris, as Port Au Prince cleared out for a nine-and-a-half metre win in a quick 1:51.8 mile rate.
Port Au Prince beat the plucky Lochiel (Olivia Frisby), with Loyalist (Emma Turnbull) a head further back in third place.
Turnbull said she always expected plenty of pressure in races of this ilk and wasn’t disappointed as everyone came out for a ‘look’ when the starter let them go.
Yet she was quick to exert her authority and quickly indicated she was driving the best horse in the race as last year’s Carousel winner took off, found the front, backed off the speed with a 29.7 second quarter of the mile and zoomed home with sectionals of 27.4 and 27.7s to win easily.
