Sport
22 October, 2024
Kiwi mare Any Luck claims Blue Pyrenees Estate Avoca Cup after overhauling leaders
For punters looking for any luck on Saturday, Avoca seemed to be the place to be.

The Blue Pyrenees Estate Avoca Cup was a whitewash from Any Luck, who took out the day’s big race with a clinical victory under the stewardship of Kate Walters to eventually win by just over a length.
Coming into the race, much of the attention appeared to be on Samurai Star, who had been in good form and opened as hot favourite.
The third favourite with the bookies, Any Luck jumped fairly to settle in fifth position in the midpack, and was still in fifth with 800 to go before making the move and turned for home with a good rate to eventually finish clear of outsiders, Play On Words and Chevalier Du Fau in a time of 1:58.52.
It was a result which appeared to be due for the five-year-old mare out of New Zealand, who had scored four second-places and a third in its last six starts, finally breaking through for its first win since May in Mount Gambier for trainer Wayne Walters, as well as taking its first win on Victorian soil after three previous successes on the South Australian border track.
A crackerjack day of racing at Avoca brought with it exceptional conditions, although horses had to navigate a heavy 8 track thanks to rain throughout Friday.
A terrific crowd ventured to Avoca to ensure the day was a success for all, with plenty of entertainment keeping spectators captivated.
The first race of the day saw Naughty One, rated as the second-biggest outsider of the race, perform a boilover by taking a comfortable victory.
Things seemed to return to normal a little bit in the second race with warm favourite Ironbar taking the money, before an evenly contested race saw Vierville take the third race of the day by just under a length.
Another outsider took victory in the fourth race, with Written By You bolting away to win by two lengths, before race five’s favourite, Aurolaa, took the most confortable win of the day, saluting by over two lengths.
Acapella Moon took victory in race six by a similar margin, before the Avoca Cup.
In the final race of the day, it was another outsider, Mulga Lil, who took the closest win of the day, winning by half a length.