Written by Paul Vettise
Dedication to duty left Melbourne-based syndicator Brad Spicer weary, but delighted after securing a colt by Camelot (GB) during the opening session of the Goffs Orby Sale.
Spicer teamed up with Newmarket-based bloodstock agent Alex Elliott to purchase Lot 124, offered by Galbertstown Stud for £160,000 (AU$288,350) at the Doncaster auction, moved from Ireland to England due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
He was on the phone through Wednesday evening and through the early hours of the following morning with Elliott and thrilled to bag the son of Camelot, albeit slightly over budget.
“He is an exceptional colt and obviously Camelot has worked super down here and he’s out of a Shamardal mare, probably one of my all-time favourite sires. It all clicked for us, which was great,” Spicer said.
Watch: Lot 124 parade
“We were a bit lucky because a colt like him would have been out of reach last year. Things aren’t obviously going well up there with prizemoney and COVID-19 and it was a buyer’s market.
“I’m glad we did our work and due diligence before the Sale and were able to snap him up. It was just a little bit above our budget, but more than happy to have him.”
“I’m glad we did our work and due diligence before the Sale and were able to snap him up.” – Brad Spicer
The youngster was purchased for Australian clients and will make his way Down Under in due course.
“He will be going to Lindsey Smith and we’ve got some long-term clients involved in the horse. He will be out here in the next six weeks and go to the breakers and through the system,” Spicer said.
“Horses like Russian Camelot, Furrion and Fifty Stars have done it and it’s pretty important to get them out here early and get them acclimatised.
“I’ve had success buying out of the tried market, but our forte is buying yearlings and they are a bit cheaper. It’s really important to get them on our hard tracks and build some bone up as well.
“You see a lot of horses that come from Europe struggle on our hard tracks so if we get them out here quicker they can get used to them a lot sooner.”
The Camelot colt is out of the winning mare Edwinstowe (Ire), a daughter of the G1 Prix de l’Opera winner Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef {USA}), whose other offspring include Loxley (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), winner of the G2 Prix de Deauville for Godolphin.
Brad Spicer
Collaborative effort
Spicer worked in tandem with Elliott, an association which started during an overseas buying trip last year.
“I met him in Germany when I went to the Baden-Baden Sale and we kept in close contact and when COVID-19 hit early in the year we had to scramble and make plans for someone to inspect the horse because I couldn’t get up there,” he said.
“He’s a young star of the bloodstock ranks up there and getting good results so it was great to team up with him. Hopefully, we’ll be buying at Tattersalls next week as well.”
“He’s a young star of the bloodstock ranks up there and getting good results so it was great to team up with him. Hopefully, we’ll be buying at Tattersalls next week as well.” - Brad Spicer
Elliott’s thoroughbred background includes a three-year stint working for top National Hunt trainer Philip Hobbs and paved the way for a place on the prestigious Darley Flying Start Program.
That included working spells on Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum’s stud farms in Ireland, England, America, Australia and Dubai and with trainers including Sir Michael Stoute, Christophe Clement and Saeed Bin Suroor.
Overseas experience
After graduation, Elliott spent a season with Stoute before moving to America and to take a position as assistant to Christophe Clement, working in both Florida and New York.
In 2009, he was approached by leading trainer Eoin Harty to head up the training of his California division and subsequently established Elliott Bloodstock Services following two years assisting leading bloodstock consultant Jamie McCalmont.
Alex Elliott (left) | Image courtesy of Alex Elliott Bloodstock
“Brad was unable to travel, but he gave me a list of pedigrees and I looked at the horses for him and really loved this colt. He’s a lovely individual out of a Shamardal mare and obviously Camelot has had a great year,” Elliott told TDN Europe.
Another Australian in the Goffs action was Scone trainer Sam Kavanagh, who teamed up with bloodstock identity Byron Rogers.
They landed Lot 112, a son of Ulysees (Ire) for £80,000 (AU$144,000) from the draft of Yeomanstown Stud. The colt is a son of the unraced Pivotal (GB) mare Diyavana (Ire).
She is a half-sister to the G2 Doncaster Cup winner Desert Skyline (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and to stakes performers Dounyapour (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Dildar (Ire) (Red Ransom {USA}) and Doumaran (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}).
Another headline act on the pedigree page is the G1 Irish Derby winner Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Watch: Lot 112 parade
