It was luck by name and luck by nature for Ben and Ryan Foote at the barrier draw for Saturday’s $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie.
The father-and-son training partnership will prepare Vega For Luck for the lucrative juvenile contest, the son of Lucky Vega drawing gate three, outside of Toretto and race-favourite To Bravery Born.
Vega For Luck was a winner on debut in early October, with three subsequent runs including a third in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) and fifth in the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) on New Year’s Day.
“It makes you feel like you’ve got a lot more of a chance, when his name was called out early I was pretty happy,” Ben Foote said.
“He’s a really good doing two-year-old, he’s had a lot of runs and gallops around Ellerslie, so we think we’re in with a chance. He’s probably not the best horse in the race, but if he puts himself in it from a good barrier, he can be in it for sure.
“You’d have to (push forward), it would just be too hard for him to get too far back.”
The Foote’s stable star Babylon Berlin has also received a royal opportunity in the Group 1 Sistema Railway (1200m) later in the evening, the mare set to jump from barrier two.
Babylon Berlin has contested the Railway on three occasions, finishing third behind Entriviere and second to phenomenal sprinter Imperatriz, before an uncharacteristic seventh in last year’s running, held at Pukekohe.
At her fourth attempt, Babylon Berlin is currently rated an $8 equal-third favourite after a winning performance in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) and ahead of Saturday’s $700,000 feature, Foote couldn’t be happier with his charge.
“She’s flying, everything seems tip-top and drawing barrier two is really good, it’s nice to be going to Karaka Millions Night with two good barriers and two good chances,” he said.
“She’ll definitely push forward, she loves the fight and loves being taken on, so good luck to anything that wants to take her on.”
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