Snowdens enter tried horse market as records tumble at Newmarket

Snowdens light the Flame

The Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale has traditionally been the source of middle-distance and staying prospects, but Snowden Racing hopes it has acquired a potential star sprinter-miler after combining with Will Johnson Bloodstock to pay 250,000 gns (AU$480,0000) for Old Flame (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

The 3-year-old colt is a two-time winner from four starts, who has raced for his breeders Juddmonte for trainer Ralph Beckett. He is a half-brother to two stakes performers, Dalvey (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Chaleur (GB) (Dansili {GB}), from the family of Group 1 winners Cityscape (GB) and Logician (GB).

Johnson, who has significant experience sourcing horses internationally said the Snowdens were keen to get involved in the international market this year and they had worked through identifying a shortlist of around a dozen horses of which Old Flame was top of the list.

"The Snowden stable and I have been looking and discussing about purchasing some horses in Europe to race down here. We went through the catalogue and narrowed it down. I was taken by this horse's profile. He's a lightly raced colt by Invincible Spirit that had shown a good level of ability of better ground, which lends itself to Australia," Johnson told TDN AusNZ.

"We put a line through his last start on heavy ground and obviously coming from a lovely Juddmonte family, lightly raced and in the hands of Ralph Beckett, who looks after his horses well."

While form guides, race replays, pedigree charts, videos and photos are all used when trying to assess horses from the other side of the world, Johnson said intelligence from on the ground was also key to this purchase.

"We have been led to believe that he has been working in the mornings with the dual Group 1-winning Angel Bleu and Kinross, a Kingman who has made good improvement this season. In his work with them, he wasn't coming off the bridle," the agent said.

"Having spent a bit of time with Roger (Varian) and I understand that European trainers can take a bit of zip out of their legs, but the fact he has been working with that calibre of horse in the morning, lends itself to hopefully being an animal that can excel under the guidance of the Snowdens."

The deal itself was sealed over the phone by Snowden's Racing and Bloodstock Manager, Colum McCullagh, at 4am Sydney time.

Johnson said while the majority of Australian buyers at this Sale are searching for horses to perform at a mile and beyond, he felt there was good opportunity for the right horses to be secured that prefer shorter trips.

"European speed is underrated to a large degree. It does go back to the way they are trained. If you look at the two most dominant sirelines at the moment, through Danehill and all of his sons, Danehill was a sprinter who built his reputation in European racing while Invincible Spirit is European as well," he said.

"Hopefully this horse can transcend into a horse like Redkirk Warrior, over the next 12-18 months, as a goal. It’s easier said than done, but we are confident he has the profile to do that."

Youth Spirit a 230,000 gns 'bargain'

Australia also beckons G1 St Leger fifth Youth Spirit (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) (Lot 1186A), candidly acclaimed by his purchaser Johnny McKeever as not just the bargain of the week but as “the best value horse I've bought in about 10 years.” for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

Quite a claim, you might suppose, at 230,000 gns (AU$442,000). But this is a G3 Chester Vase winner who has reiterated his class for Andrew Balding with podium finishes in races as diverse as the G2 Great Voltigeur S. and G2 Vintage S.

“I'm extremely excited,” the agent declared. “I've been trying to buy this horse all year, and knew there was a lot of activity from Australia. In this market, I really, really believe that was the best value in the whole Sale. The level of form is outstanding, he's a beautiful-looking horse by Camelot, he has absolutely everything going for him. I don't know why, maybe it was because he was a wild card, but that's just a blip.”

He had earlier been obliged to pay exactly the same, on behalf of the same clients, for King Of Clubs (GB) (Intello {Ger}) (Lot 952) after winning a maiden and a handicap during the course of his second campaign for Hughie Morrison. Auspiciously, the 3-year-old has reached a rating of 93 without being tried beyond 10 furlongs-despite only getting up late on the Sandown hill in August.

“Same formula as usual,” McKeever observed then. “Robbie Waterhouse liked the form, I liked the horse, and Hughie recommended him. I've had a couple of blank days, I had quite a lot of vet fails and others were just making a lot more than we were prepared to spend.

Gallery: Two lots purchased by Johnny McKeever, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott

"The right horses are hard to come by and it feels like we are all sharing them around. But it's good having Robbie behind me, he's a very clever man on the form, and that takes a bit of pressure off as all I have to do is look at them to see if they're the right sort physically.”

Team Zaaki back in action

The former Ed Walker-trained Matthew Flinders (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), sold for 230,000 gns (AU$442,000) as Lot 1008, will certainly be an apt migrant, named as he is after the English naval captain who first circumnavigated and charted the Australian coast.

And it can only be auspicious that his purchaser, Stuart Boman of Blandford Bloodstock, found new trainer Annabel Neasham none other than Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) for 150,000 gns (AU$288,000) out of Sir Michael Stoute's draft at this sale last year. His lucrative endeavours since include Group 1 wins in the Doomben Cup and Underwood S.

“Zaaki has been phenomenal,” Boman said. “It's fantastic what one horse can do for people's lives and careers. He's going to be a hard act to follow, but we wanted to target here what we felt could be one of the nicest horses in the Sale for Australia.

“His ability is definitely far better than what the form book shows. He's a horse who constantly travels best of all, any field he is in. I spoke with Ed and I think he has probably felt like he's had a Group horse on his hands for a long time.

"He just wanted him to win his big handicap but has never had his day, and now the handicapper has forced his hand by raising his mark so high. But he's thoroughly consistent, always runs to 105 (timeform), and as a strong-travelling horse should really suit Australia.”

Boman celebrated his winning bid by exchanging high fives with Neasham's mother Patricia, who had come from her Northamptonshire home to witness the sale.

“I'm delighted for Annabel, she's flying along,” Boman said. “She's got two runners in the Golden Eagle on Saturday, which is worth A$7.5 million. Things are healthy in Australia!”

Cumani's 2-year-old play

The opportunity to recruit horses as young as two through the Shadwell cull has created a lot of excitement this week but even this market proved vulnerable to Australian investment when Billy Jackson-Stops signed a 120,000 gns (AU$231,000) docket for Hanaady (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) (Lot 1000) to be shipped out to Matt Cumani.

This filly won a Nottingham maiden for Ed Dunlop last month and, though below that form at York next time, it obviously remains early days for this daughter of a half-sister to G2 Gimcrack S. winner Blaine (GB) (Avonbridge {GB}) and another accomplished sprinter Bogart (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}).

“Myself and Sam Haggas have done some work together and we put her to Matt,” explained Jackson-Stops. “Night Of Thunder has been going really well down there, and Matt was pretty keen to try a filly. We thought we'd see if it works, there are options for her: she's good-looking, and will have some residual value.”

Aussie assault

Australian interests busy at Newmarket included Boomer Bloodstock, albeit buying for American interests with Lot 1188, Motorious (GB) (Muharrar {GB}), a 3-year-old who has won two races for trainer Stuart Williams and cost 220,000 gns (AU$422,000).

Ciaron Maher Racing has been on the buyers' list on all three days of the Sale with its latest purchase in partnership with James Eustace, the father of co-trainer David Eustace. Lot 1112, the grey 4-year-old Ascension (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), cost 100,000 gns (AU$192,000). He has won four of his 15 starts for Roger Varian.

Gallery: A few of the lots purchased by Australian interests

McKeever also secured Lot 1144, Highland Rocker (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}), with Gold Coast trainer Michael Costa for 80,000 gns (AU$154,000). He has won two of his starts for John and Thady Gosden, including his most recent start at Goodwood in August.

Chris Waller and Star Thoroughbreds combined to pay 50,000 gns (AU$96,000) for Lot 964, the one-time winner for Varian, Carbon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), while Australian Bloodstock and Ronald Rauscher were again busy, paying 55,000 gns (AU$106,000) for Spangler (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) (Lot 954), who won his only start for Hughie Morrison.

Fortuna gets involved

Fortuna Racing, who experienced enormous success with 14-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), have dabbled in the European tried horse market before and paid 85,000 gns (AU$163,000) for the Andrew Balding-trained Without Envy (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) (Lot 923).

Hubie De Burgh did the work on the ground to secure the 3-year-old gelding, who impressed when second on debut at Ascot earlier this month.

"Clearly a slow maturing type, he is a big strong individual who should be ideally suited for distance racing in New Zealand/Australia," Fortuna's John Galvin said.

"Without Envy will be trained in New Zealand by NZ Champion Trainer, Jamie Richards of Te Akau Racing where he will be initially prepared for staying events in NZ such as the NZ Cup, Wellington and Auckland Cups and, if good enough at that level, could then tackle some of the staying features in Australia."

New Zealand syndicators Go Racing also got its name in the buyers; list, paying 50,000 gns (AU$96,000) for 2-year-old Al Aabir (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (Lot 836), who has been placed at both his starts for the Gosdens.

Prince Khalid's legacy appreciated in his homeland

It felt fitting that Najd Stud, in again topping the session, should have done so to secure the transfer of Boltaway (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (Lot 1114) from the Juddmonte empire built up by Prince Khalid Abdullah.

True, for all the ardour exhibited by its representatives this week, they can hardly be expected to aspire to the kind of success achieved by their late compatriot. Nonetheless, their commitment has offered succour to those fretting about the outlook for the industry following the loss not only of Prince Khalid, but also of a neighbouring Turf superpower in Sheikh Hamdan.

Certainly, Saad bin Mishraf has proved reluctant to let anything off the hook, once he has cast a line, and duly saw off strong competition at 400,000 gns (AU$769,000) for a 3-year-old who has won four handicaps over middle distances for Roger Charlton this summer, in the process hoisting his rating to 93.

“We tried to buy this horse privately, but that wasn't possible and so we waited for this Sale,” said bin Mishraf.

“It's proved to be one of the toughest markets I have ever seen for horses in training. He's by Dubawi, whose offspring have succeeded in Saudi Arabia, and out of a Dansili mare, and Dansilis have also done well there, so he had the right pedigree. He also had size and good feet for racing on dirt."

“He's not been over-raced, and he vetted 100 per cent. All the races in Saudi Arabia are on the up, with better prizemoney, sometimes increased by four or five times. There are races for locally bred horses and imported horses, and while we don't have many imported horses, the ones we have are very good.”

The final day of the Sale takes place on Thursday.