A gloomy night at Pakenham made brighter for the connections of Lovey as the 2-year-old daughter of Spirit Of Boom opened her winning account in the Jane Takes On Mitchell Maiden Plate (1400m).
Given a sweet ride by Micheal Dee, Lovey tracked the leader Bushann into the straight. Momentarily blocked for a run, Lovey forced her way into the clear but was immediately joined by the Dundeel debutant Regal Lover.
With the benefit of four previous starts, Lovey found enough to defy Regal Lover by a half-head with the Stratum Star filly Bushann one and a quarter lengths back in third.
Trained by Ben, Will, and JD Hayes, Lovey was a $230,000 buy for Lindsay Park Racing from the Eureka Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
“This horse deserved the win. She has been knocking on the door and won quite well,” Dee said.
“I had a horse at big odds sitting outside the leader so I always thought I would get the run through.
“I thought she would win a lot easier. She had a bit of a look around and did not know how to put the other horse away.”
Bred and part-owned by Eureka Stud, Lovey is the second winner from as many foals for the winning Not A Single Doubt mare Te Amo.
A $16,000 purchase for Harry McAlpine Bloodstock at the 2019 Inglis Australian Broodmare Sale, Te Amo is a daughter of the Bianconi (USA) mare Je T'Aime, a half-sister to the VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer), the dam of VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound (Reliable Man).
Te Amo foaled a Hellbent colt last spring and was covered by Spirit Of Boom.
Lovey is the seventh 2-year-old winner of the season for Eureka Stud’s Spirit Of Boom.