Lumping 58kg, the Trevor Andrews-trained grey roared home in front of more than 17,000 racegoers to claim the race he first won on protest two years ago.
The triumph for WA racing came after local star Barakey suffered his first defeat on home soil, failing to defend his crown in the $500,000 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) after a tumultuous 12 months in which the sprinter’s career was threatened by a knee injury.
Written off after several underwhelming Melbourne campaigns, Luckygray was ridden superbly by Shaun O’Donnell, with a trademark finish down the outside to eclipse Platinum Rocker and Fire Up Fifi.
“As soon as Shaun produced him to the outside, I thought ‘wow, look out’,” Andrews said.
“This horse is just a gun and 58kg is like a feather on his back. He’s only a little tacker but he’s got a heart as big as what he is.”