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Oaks contender gets chance to justify Harvey’s faith in Lotteria line
Lotteria's racing career ended more than 15 years ago, but unlike many of her contemporaries she is a horse even those new to racing might be familiar with.
Makybe Diva's Cox Plate win is one of the most replayed editions of that race, regularly getting a run in the lead-up to each running of the weight-for-age championship, and Lotteria is a key player in the 2005 event, beating home all bar the legendary mare.
She counted Group 1 wins in the Flight Stakes and Empire Rose Stakes among her eight wins from 17 starts and holds a special place in the heart of Gerry Harvey, who bred and part-owned the daughter of Redoute's Choice and Sir Tristram mare Rose Reward.
It would therefore be memorable if Harvey could win Saturday's $1 million Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick with Pink Ivory.
Harvey has been determined to breed a star from Lotteria and his racing and bloodstock manager Luke McDonald is optimistic Pink Ivory could finally be the one.
"Gerry owns the majority of this family, he's tried for years with Lotteria to get a good horse and he's kept every single filly because he just loves the family so much," McDonald said.
"His philosophy is these blue-chip mares tend to always come up in the pedigrees and start producing. It might not be with them, but the family will eventually produce a very good horse."
Adding to the Harvey link with Pink Ivory is that she is by Westbury Stud stallion Redwood, who Harvey stands in New Zealand, which is where Pink Ivory was born on November 28, 2018.
Lotteria headed across the Tasman in 2015 after producing five named foals in Australia, only three of whom raced; Fonssagrives (Encosta De Lago), More Caviar and Yokohama, who are both by More Than Ready.
Pink Ivory was one of four foals Lotteria had in New Zealand, another being five-time winner Osaka (Makfi), and she returned to Australia after being served by Tarzino last year.
Pink Ivory shapes as her best product, having won a 1600m Gosford maiden at her second start and an 1880m Newcastle BM64 two starts later before storming into Oaks contention with a strong fifth placing in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (1850m) at Newcastle on March 28.
McDonald said it was evident early on that Pink Ivory was going to be a quality stayer, which is why multiple Oaks-winning trainer John Sargent was selected to oversee her career.
"We put her in Richard Litt's stable just to get a bit of pre-training under our belt and get a feel for her and she actually put her hand up quite early," McDonald said.
"Physically she's a really good, athletic, beautiful-moving individual and from Day 1 she really put her hand up and said, 'I could potentially be a nice staying prospect'.
"And who can train a better staying filly in the country than John Sargent, so we allocated her to the John Sargent stable and from the get-go he labelled her as an Oaks filly."