Penrith fans can cheer on their Luai

As Penrith Panthers fans, trainer Claire Lever and her aunt Louise Nutman didn’t have to look far when naming their gelding Luai.

Named after the Panthers three-time NRL premiership five-eighth Jarome Luai, the gelding is showing plenty of talent on the racetrack.

“I’m a Panthers diehard and he’s my favourite player. My aunty Louise Nutman, who bred and owns Luai, is a Penrith supporter too,” Lever said.

“She likes one-word names for her horses and he is out of a mare called Timing. Jarome Luai has pretty good timing so that’s how he got his name.”

The son of Epaulette brought up a three-peat of his own with consecutive victories at Bathurst and is chasing win No.4 in the De Bortoli Wines Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1350m) at Wyong.

It’s a big step up from country to provincial grade and he has topweight of 61.5kg but he has drawn in gate 4 and Grant Buckley maintains his association with the four-year-old.

“I hope the horse runs better tomorrow than how the Panthers went in their season opener,” Lever joked.

“He’s a funny horse. He always gave a nice feel when you rode him but he has been so slow to mature mentally. He’s still so immature.

“I was disappointed when he couldn’t win a provincial maiden. I was scratching my head and wondering how good you have to be to win one.

“I dropped him back to Bathurst and stepped up to 1400m, which I always thought he needed, and he has put three wins together. He’s had to carry weight and do it from bad gates. Obviously his winning streak will come to an end sooner or later but this looks the right race.”

Another four-year-old Lever is taking to Wyong is Seaside Sandy who resumes in a Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m) for fillies and mares.