Consistent stakes-class mare Lady Lynette will be looking to round out her racing career a millionaire in the Myer Classic at Flemington.
Trained by father and son Tasmanians David and Scott Brunton, the seven-year-old’s lease runs out next Monday and the owners have fielded an offer from an undisclosed leading Victorian breeder to buy her as a broodmare after Saturday’s 1600-metre Group One feature for fillies and mares.
David Brunton said it was always the plan to retire Lady Lynette after the Myer Classic and with earnings of $995,883 she only has to finish in the top eight to pass a million dollars in career earnings.
He said he would be forever grateful for Lady Lynette and the pleasure she has given him and her connections since he and his business partner Doug Green bought the daughter of Ladoni for $13,000 as a yearling.
“Words can’t describe the fun we’ve had with her,” Brunton said.
“She’s been a ripper and has taken us to places we never thought we would go.
“When we bought her as a yearling we were never, ever thinking she would be doing or have done what she did.
“It is something you only dream of.”
Seven of Lady Lynette’s 13 wins in 44 starts were in stakes races with her biggest success just three starts ago when she landed the Group Two Blazer Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
She has also been stakes-placed on 10 other occasions, most notably two years ago when second to Typhoon Tracy in the Myer Classic.
“She has been paddling around in Group Ones, Group Twos and Group Threes and I think the last 18 to 20 months hasn’t run in anything under a Listed race and been pretty competitive every time,” Brunton said.
Last start Lady Lynette was as game as ever, finishing a close third to Ocean Challenger in the Group Three Trojan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley after jarring up on a hard track at Caulfield on October 12.
“Caulfield threw a spanner in the works and because we didn’t really know what went wrong she probably went into last Saturday at Moonee Valley a little bit underdone,” Brunton said.
He said he expects her to be fitter and would dearly love to see her finish her career with a win on Saturday while conceding it was unlikely to happen in such a hot race which includes Group One winners More Joyous, Sacred Choice, Response and Yosei.
“Every time I look through the field I find another one to beat,” Brunton said.
“I know it probably doesn’t mean much at the end of the day but if she can get into the top eight on Saturday she ticks it up over a million dollars and that would be the icing on the cake.
“She’s got a good draw (barrier four) and good rider (Michael Rodd) so she should be able to be up in the first half dozen.
“If she can roll along in a forward position, she holds her ground as a rule, and she will keep whacking away.”
AAP TURF
