Luck’s a fortune for Stormont

[Chief Stipe]

The maiden win of Peakz Luck at Alexandra Park on Friday continued a quite remarkable breeding run for her dam.

The three-year-old daughter of Peak, trained by James Stormont, became the eighth winner from nine foals left by her Howz Lucky.

And the only non-winner amongst them, the placed Rosemaryz Luck, is the dam of five-race winner, Need Luck.

Stormont has forged a close association with the Matamata breeders and owners of the ‘Luck’ family, Brian and Rosemary Tims, in recent years and Peakz Luck is the third winner he’s trained for them from the family.

“Sean McCaffery trained the family to start with,” said Stormont.

“He had the dam and the first foals as well.

“Then, a few years ago, they (the Tims’) had a colt passed in at the sales and I rung and asked if I could lease him.

“That was my first dealings with them.”

That colt, Primz Luck, would win four of seven starts with Stormont before a lucrative sale to Australian interests in 2014 that proved worthwhile for all parties.

The Tims’ then gave Stormont the following foal, Tuiz Luck, and she won two at Auckland before also being sold for good money, this time to American interests in 2017.

By then, the next filly, Di’z Luck, had been sold to Gavin Smith at the yearling sales and Peakz Luck was the next in line.

Stormont went to $21,000 to buy her at the yearling sales himself and he now owns her with longtime stable client Eugene Storck and the Tims’, who stayed in for a percentage.

The final foal out of Howz Lucky, a two-year-old Peak full brother to Peakz Luck called Kelvinz Luck, is due at Stormont’s in Pukekohe any day.

“Brian is supposed to drop him off next week, I think.

“They’ve been doing a bit of work with him down at home and are quite happy with where he is at.

“I think they’ve taken him over to the Morrinsville track for a bit of work and education.”

For now, Peakz Luck is the focus for Stormont and, so impressed has he been by her recent improvement, that he’s considering a trip south.

“She was a late foal and that’s shown with her.

“I’ve been hoping she’d get stronger, and better, and that seems to be the case.

“She’s just kept on improving, so much so the main aim now is the Northern Trotting Oaks ($30,000 on May 17).

“And, if by then her form warrants it and she’s going well enough, we might even look at going to Addington for the Jewels ($125,000 on June 1).

“She’ll tell us if she’s ready.”

If not, Stormont isn’t too bothered, because he knows the best lies ahead.

“She’ll improve a lot with another spell and next year will be when she comes in to her own.”

Stormont has recently gone through a bit of a regeneration in his barn after losing classy trotters Mum’s Pride and Forfeathers permanently to injury.

Our Petite Lady, with a couple of wins and more than $30,000 in stakes this season, has been the flag-bearer.

“She might not be too far away from retiring though as her soundness is becoming harder to manage.

“Sunny Pegasus has been racing consistently without winning, and Magilligan Point is on the way back – that’s my racing team at present.

“But I have just qualified one and have also picked up two new ones to muck around with – My Boy Boo and Clifton Flutter, from down south.”

It’s three yearlings acquired from the sales that have Stormont the most excited, though.

A Pegasus Spur colt closely related to Speeding Spur has thoroughly impressed in his early education, while two Sweet Lou colts have been hard to fault.

“Every one you talk to likes the Sweet Lous and I can see why – there is no dirt in them, they are very willing and have great attitudes.”

Stormont has syndicated the trio and says there are still shares available should someone be interested.

“We are racing for great money at Auckland now, so it’s as good a time as any to get involved.”

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