Racing
Under-estimated sire chases G1 glory
Stradbroke Handicap winner has maiden G1 runners at Eagle Farm this weekend.
Rod Lyons does not have a share in either The Inflictor or Call Da Vinci, but the prominent owner will be chuffed should either log a Group 1 win this Saturday at Eagle Farm.
The geldings are both sons of Under The Louvre, who carried Lyons' colours to victory in the 2016 Stradbroke Handicap.
That 1400-metre event, now worth $3 million, is the race The Inflictor is targeting, while Call Da Vinci will contest the $1 million J J Atkins (1600m) for two-year-olds.
They will be the first Group 1 runners for Under The Louvre, a son of Excellent Art, and Lyons considered it appropriate the milestone occurs on the day that holds fond memories for he and Under The Louvre's ownership group.
"He was a good honest horse who gave his all," Lyons said.
"He was a backmarker and there was a couple of races that he probably should have won but being a backmarker (he didn't).
"He was an honest horse with an electric turn of foot when he was right.
"Stradbroke day was fantastic. A whole gang of us went up there, it was just a wonderful day and a very exciting win."
The Stradbroke Handicap was Under The Louvre's career milestone, the biggest of nine wins in a 36-start career that included two minor placings in The Goodwood, a trip to the Oakleigh Plate runner-up stall and a Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes third placing.
Under The Louvre was retired to Grandview Stud at the end of his six-year-old season and The Inflictor is a member of his third crop.
He has won six of 22 starts for Eagle Farm trainer Craig Cousins and booked his Stradbroke spot with a dominant win over 1350m at Doomben on May 24, which followed a Listed third placing over 1200m at the Gold Coast two weeks earlier.
Call Da Vinci came two crops after The Inflictor and that Bevan Laming-trained youngster has won two of his four starts with two minor placings, including a last-start third in the Group 2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m).
They are among four Stakes placegetters for Under The Louvre, whose sole Black Type winner is Exotique Miss, winner of last year's Listed Daybreak Lover.
Now 14 years of age, Under The Louvre has sired the winners of 171 races, 57 of which have come this season, which has him on target to break last season's career best tally of 61.
A four-year-old mare who has provided three of those wins is the Symon Wilde-trained Allouvre, who also races under Lyons' colours, which she carried to victory at Swan Hill – the scene of Under The Louvre's debut maiden win – last weekend and Lyons is proud of the job he has done.
"Most of the mares he's had hadn't been the greatest of pedigrees and he's managed still to win a lot of races and now have a couple of runners in Group Ones," Lyons said.
The Inflictor, who has 51kg and will be ridden by Cejay Graham in the Stradbroke, is a $15 chance, with Call Da Vinci (Zac Lloyd) at $34 from gate 14 in J J Atkins betting.
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