Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Seven runs - at start number three, a big Moonee Valley maiden win by 6l over a mile on Friday night, a success which was followed by four uninspiring unplaced runs and the suggestion that it was time for a new career as a broodmare.
Breeder John Valmorbida was going to heed that advice, but a thought struck - he should get another trainer, his friend, Grahame Begg to have a look at her.
Grahame Begg with the connections of Lunar Flare | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“I had been a long-time admirer of the Begg family,” Valmorbida said, noting that he had always been a fan of that renowned Begg style of giving horses time, of letting them come into their own at their own pace - of ensuring that they enjoy their racing.
And so, Begg headed over to Fulmen Park at Moorooduc and saw a horse who was tired, Valmorbida remembering the ensuing phone call - “he said she just needs time, and I asked if he would be interested in training her, he paused and said 'okay, I will give her a go'.”
Taking on a rising 5-year-old with a history of being a bit of a problem child is no easy task, and Lunar Flare did present challenges to her new trainer.
“She was a bit quirky and quite tense,” Begg recalled - “she would get excited at track work, she was just always on edge.”
“She (Lunar Flare) was a bit quirky and quite tense. She would get excited at track work, she was just always on edge.” - Grahame Begg
And this was not new - Lunar Flare proving a handful from her early days with Valmorbida sending her to Shane Stockdale to break in... not once, not twice - but three times!
“After the second failed attempt, I said to Shane that perhaps it was time to move her on, but he said 'When they are tough like this, they have usually got something so I think we should press on with her.'”
Shane's assessment was spot on, Lunar Flare showing an 'early burst of ability' with that runaway win at Moonee Valley, but she was not harnessing her energy, charging to the lead and failing to finish off.
Lunar Flare learns to relax
After a nice break before heading to the Begg stables, Lunar Flare was given “lots of long, steady work”, and at her first run for Begg, she caught their eye finishing off nicely in a 1400-metre BM64 contest at Ballarat.
She wasn't placed that day, but Begg was delighted - “he was excited when he rang me," Valmorbida recalled - “he said, 'did you see how well she relaxed?!'”
Grahame Begg | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Steadily improving at each outing, Lunar Flare was in winning form in July 2020, easily winning consecutive races at Sandown and Cranbourne. She continued to race well through the winter and spring and was going well enough to have a crack at the G3 Queen Elizabeth S. in which she was out of the placings but had a solid run.
Next time winning over 2000 metres third up at Flemington, Lunar Flare was on the improve, with Begg noting that “season by season she was getting better.”
In September 2021, recording her first stakes victory in the Listed Harry White Classic over 2400 metres at Mornington, Lunar Flare finished too strongly for that race's previous winner High Emocean (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), who would go on to finish third in last year's G1 Melbourne Cup.
She took that form to a bigger stage, winning the G2 Moonee Valley Cup on W S Cox Plate Day. Little wonder that Melbourne Cup dreams were cementing themselves and Lunar Flare's 2022 campaigns were aimed at that race. One she looked well on track for after a win in the G3 Bart Cummings S. in October.
But an untimely bruised heel saw her cruelly ruled out of contention at the last minute... she was scratched on race morning. Instead of dwelling on that sizeable bit of bad luck, connections looked further ahead... to the 2023 Melbourne Cup.
A bit of a challenge seeming that Lunar Flare will be eight by that time, but Begg is confident that the lightly raced mare still has plenty to offer - and nobody will be doubting him after her stellar performance at Flemington yesterday.
Melbourne Cup dream back on
Racing away to a dominant 5.2l victory in the Listed Andrew Ramsden S., Lunar Flare earned herself a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption, and so the dream is again real.
“Full credit to her,” Begg enthused after the race - “she just keeps getting better as she gets older.”
“Full credit to her (Lunar Flare). She just keeps getting better as she gets older.” - Grahame Begg
“I don't train her hard and fortunately, I have the right owners for that, they are very patient.”
Happy to listen when Begg doesn't follow the usual paths - such as electing to skip the Listed Mornington Cup, which looked like such a suitable option.
“I thought she'd had a hard run in deteriorating conditions in the G3 Easter Cup,” Begg said, and Valmorbida was content to wait even though it meant Lunar Flare would be running over 2800 metres with a five-week gap between races.
“It looked risky,” Valmorbida admitted, “but look at the result - it was her biggest win!”
One which was also enjoyed by Grahame's legendary father Neville Begg. He watched on from Scone races where he had a runner, he was due to spend the rest of the weekend inspecting his young horses at Widden Stud - home to the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner he bred; Written By.
Laughing as he noted that Lunar Flare is now high up in the Melbourne Cup markets, Valmorbida said he is happy to sit back and enjoy the lead-up. His wife Michelle is enjoying it too - she grew up in a racing family, a very successful one, in fact with her parents Victor and Lila Peters racing a number of high-class gallopers including the Cox Plate champ Taj Rossi.. and it is in the family's silks (white, brown circles) that Lunar Flare races.
Valmorbida races Lunar Flare with friends Frank Kraps and John Bongiorno, and the latter enjoys a great link to Lunar Flare's heritage... he was a part owner of her G1 Melbourne Cup-winning sire Fiorente (Ire).
A horse who continues to be a favourite at Widden in Victoria, where the stud's Phil Marshall describes him as 'a gem of a horse'.
“He is a very intelligent horse and I think we see that in his progeny. He is tough, but a gentleman and nothing fazes him - these are attributes which have stood him well throughout his life.”
“He (Fiorente) is a very intelligent horse, and I think we see that in his progeny. He is tough but a gentleman and nothing fazes him - these are attributes which have stood him well throughout his life.” - Phil Marshall
And he has a fan base amongst broodmare owners, Marshall saying that a wide range of breeders have supported him. “A lot of people really admired him as a racehorse - his strength and determination are aspects that really appeal to breeders.
“And of course, anyone looking to breed a mile-plus horse is going to have Fiorente on their list - and why wouldn't they?!”
Such as John Valmorbida whose aim was always “to breed a Melbourne Cup runner.”
“After watching the imports dominate for a few years, I wondered how I was going to do that, so I thought I would send my mare to an imported Melbourne Cup winner!”
“After watching the imports dominate for a few years, I wondered how I was going to do that, so I thought I would send my mare to an imported Melbourne Cup winner!” - John Valmorbida
And as luck would have it his mare My Fair Lago is by Encosta De Lago who is proving to have a real affinity with Fiorente... 10 of the 13 runners by Fiorente out of Encosta De Lago mares are winners with three of those being stakes winners.
HOOFNOTE: Lunar Flare is taking on a bit of history as she heads towards the Melbourne Cup, a race which on only seven occasions has been won by a horse whose sire won that same race. The last to do so was Black Knight in 1984, son of the 1971 winner Silver Knight (NZ). The 1941 winner Skipton was by the 1935 winner Marabou whilst the 1926 winner Spearfelt sired the 1943 winner Dark Felt. The 1919 winner Artilleryman and 1922 winner King Ingoda had as their sire the 1910 winner Comedy King (GB) whilst the unbeaten Grand Flaneur - the 1880 winner - also had two Cup winners; Bravo in 1889 and Patron in 1903.
