The Michael Grantham trained Luvnwar (the $3.30 race favourite) earned her due reward when she finished over the top of the long-time leader Secret Attraction to take out the $200 000 Group 3 La Trice Classic at Ascot.
The daughter of War Decree had finished third in her previous two starts … in the Jungle Dawn Classic over 1400m and the Starstruck Classic over 1600m (both Listed races) … and she relished the step up to 1800m here, hitting the line better than any other runner under the urgings of jockey Clint Johnston-Porter.
Luvnwar continues the lethal combination of Peters/Grantham and CJP in the $200,000 Group 3 La Trice Classic 💪 pic.twitter.com/IhM4m6RXul
— Racing WA Thoroughbred (@RacingWA_Tbreds) January 1, 2026
The $19 bolter Secret Attraction was sent out to try and make every post a winning one by Lucy Fiore and the Peter Fernie trained runner did everything but accomplish that mission.
A strong early gallop up front by Secret Attraction, with the $3.50 second favourite Machine Gun Gracie in tow, ensured a true run race and, while that was unfolding in front of him, Johnston-Porter was happy to keep Luvnwar at a comfortable, untroubled gallop racing in midfield some four lengths off the lead.
You could make that a little over five lengths back as Secret Attraction continued to pound out a useful lead midrace,
Travelling in sixth position and swinging four wide on the home turn, Johnston-Porter quickly had Luvnwar going through his gears and, when Secret Attraction’s concerted effort dropped the rest of the field, the contest became a race in two over the final 150m, with Luvnwar steadily gaining the upper-had over the extremely game Secret Attraction to claim victory by a neat length margin.
The $6.50 chance Admiration Express finished third a full 2.35 lengths back, a margin which emphasised Luvnwar’s complete superiority on the day.
