A change of environment has had the desired effect on De Luca who produced a tidy return to the races at Echuca on Sunday.
The New Zealand-bred daughter of Zoustar was making her first appearance in Victoria after relocating from Matthew Smith’s Warwick Farm stables to the Flemington arm of his operation.
De Luca had been a minor placegetter in her two previous outings at Scone and Goulburn and, following a six-month break, she kicked off in fine style over 1000 metres at Echuca with rider Teo Nugent in Gerry Harvey’s familiar silks.
The four-year-old showed good gate speed to sit close to the pace and then lengthened stride easily to put her rivals away.
De Luca was originally passed in at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale where she failed to meet her reserve of A$150,000.
She is out of the Swiss Ace mare Six Penny, who was successful on two occasions up to 1100 metres, and she is a granddaughter of the two-time Group 1 winner Fashions Afield whose son Kiss And Make Up won the G2 Todman Stakes.
It’s also the family of Imelda Mary, the dual Group 2 winner of the Royal Stakes and Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic.
Six Penny’s colt by El Roca sold to Edmonds Racing for A$75,000 at the Gold Coast last year and the mare subsequently had a filly by the Fastnet Rock sire and is again due to foal to him.