Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography
As Albert Bosma sipped an espresso and enjoyed some downtime in Capri, he caught up with The Thoroughbred Report to reflect on Go Racing’s Queensland Derby success and to share his thoughts ahead of the upcoming Royal Ascot carnival, where the syndication company has several key potential contenders.
Bosma also spoke about the vision behind Go Racing, how the highly successful syndication company has evolved over the years, and what might lie ahead for the pro-active organisation that doesn't believe in doing the status quo year-after-year.
Viewed from an Italian tarmac
It was a Derby victory witnessed in the most unconventional of circumstances, and one that Albert Bosma is unlikely to forget. As Maison Louis (NZ) (Super Seth) surged to victory in the prestigious $1 million G1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm, Bosma was on the tarmac of an Italian airport, about to take off from Catania to Naples.
Trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, Maison Louis had been a steady improver through the grades, and the beautifully bred gelding relished the 2400-metre test, finishing strongly late and proving too good in the final stages.
Bosma recalled how he managed to catch the thrilling finish despite the unconventional setting:
Albert Bosma | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“We were flying from Catania to Naples. As we were taxiing down the runway, we were watching a bit illegally, hiding from the stewardess. We saw the finish and celebrated accordingly, the guy next to us didn’t know what the hell we were doing, jumping and screaming around, when we got off the plane, we celebrated with a bottle of Champagne and some lunch, so it was fantastic.”
Reflecting on the race itself, Bosma was full of praise for the horse’s progression and the perfectly executed ride:
“It was a really good staying win. It really was a great ride. He was in his first preparation, and every race he stepped up each time and got better and better.
“We were pretty confident he would stay. It was a very good win, he was going just as well on the line as he was at the 200-metre mark.
“We were pretty confident he would stay. It was a very good win, he was going just as well on the line as he was at the 200-metre mark.” - Albert Bosma
“He won a Rating 64 1900-metre race against older horses, and the form around him was looking not bad before we had a crack at group company.
“Jamie Kah got off him after his fourth-place finish in the Rough Habit and said he had no chance from the inside draw. She felt he was crying out for the Derby distance, which gave us good confidence, and that grew as his work had been very good in the week leading up to the Derby.
“It was great for all of our owners and John and Tom (John O'Shea and Tom Charlton) to get the result, it really was an exciting win."
Pencarrow Stud’s elite damline
Maison Louis is out of the Makfi (GB) mare Cote D’Or (NZ), a talented racemare who won eight races between 1200 and 2200 metres. Her career highlight came with victory in the Listed Matamata Cup Handicap.
She hails from one of Pencarrow Stud’s premier families and traces from their foundation mare, Richebourg (NZ) (Vice Regal).
Cote D’Or is a half-sister to Dolmabache (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), a winner of the G2 Travis Stakes; Pure Elegance (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), who claimed the G3 Gold Trail Stakes; and the stakes placed Les Crayeres (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice).
Maison Louis boasts deep bloodlines and is closely related to Group 1-producing sires Darci Brahma (NZ) and Burgundy (NZ), as well as Group 1 Oaks winners Grand Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}).
Maison Louis (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
Cote D’Or’s 2-year-old filly by Hello Youmzain (Fr) has been named Echannay (NZ), and was purchased by Cambridge Stud for NZ$300,000 at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
“He’s tough, and comes from the right family to be tough. He has a fantastic pedigree, coming from one of Pencarrow Stud’s best families,” Bosma said.
When asked to describe the gelding as a yearling, Bosma recalled:
“He was really athletic, average size but very athletic. He moved very well, he wasn’t a big, imposing horse, but he was very well balanced.
“He (Maison Louis) was really athletic, average size but very athletic. He moved very well, he wasn’t a big, imposing horse, but he was very well balanced.” - Albert Bosma
“That attracted us to him, and at one stage we thought we had him for about $120,000. John White was the underbidder, he was obviously keen as well, and we ended up getting him for $250,000.
“We actually bought 11 yearlings from Karaka in 2024 and two of them have become Group 1 winners (Velocious and Maison Louis)."
While not a specific target of their buying strategy, Bosma said they were happy to land a pair of Super Seth progeny from the first crop:
Maison Louis as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“We ended up getting two of them, a filly and a colt. It wasn’t a real target to specifically buy them, but we did like the stallion.
“Waikato Stud don’t often get it wrong. They invested heavily in him, and we liked that he was a son of Dundeel. He was a horse I admired, he had a serious turn of foot, so we thought he was a chance of making it.”
“He (Maison Louis) was a horse I admired, he had a serious turn of foot, so we thought he was a chance of making it.” - Albert Bosma
It may still be early days, but Super Seth has already made a big impact at stud. From just 82 runners, he’s sired seven stakes winners, an 8.5 per cent stakes winners-to-runners ratio, including four individual Group 1 winners: Linebacker (NZ), Feroce (NZ), Maison Louis, and La Dorada (NZ).
“He looks like he can leave you anything. He has had a Group 1-winning 2-year-old, and Guineas and Derby winners. You want your horses to be winning stakes races, and that is what he is doing,” Bosma said.
The lure and romanticism of Royal Ascot
Targeting Royal Ascot has become a relatively new ambition for Go Racing, part of a broader global strategy that has seen the syndication powerhouse expand its reach well beyond New Zealand and Australia. The Royal Ascot carnival is now firmly in their sights and a key part of their long-term planning.
“Three years ago we came up with the idea of targeting Royal Ascot and buying some yearlings that we would put in work with Joseph O’Brien. We had Etna Rosso, who ran fifth in the G2 Queen’s Vase, Up And Under ran fifth in the G1 Irish Derby, and we’ve had some horses that have run well, including Je Zous, who ran fifth in the Ribblesdale and has been a Group 3 winner in Ireland.”
Their 2025 assault is shaping up nicely, with multiple horses in contention for key Royal Ascot targets:
Royal Ascot | Image courtesy of Royal Ascot
“We have got two horses that are aiming up for Royal Ascot this year - possibly three.
“Mojave River won on debut in France and has run well in stakes company since. She is targeting the Sandringham Stakes. Omni Man may target the Golden Gate Stakes, he won his last start by nearly eight lengths in Ireland, and Masoun may go for the Duke Of Edinburgh if he runs well next time out.”
The global campaign has not only brought success on the track but also deepened the ownership experience. The lure of Royal Ascot has captured the imagination of Go Racing’s ownership base, many of whom will be trackside for what promises to be an unforgettable week.
“On the Friday we have a table booked at the restaurant in the Royal Enclosure and we have about 30 owners attending, so it’s just fantastic. It’s real bucket list stuff.
Everyone will have the glad rags on, and I’m sure some Mastercards would have been given a hiding with all the outfits the ladies have sorted.”
The Go Racing model typically sees their European purchases begin their careers with leading Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien before being transferred to Australia to join Chris Waller’s team usually after their 4-year-old season is completed.
Joseph O'Brien | Image courtesy of Goffs
“Initially, they go to Joseph O’Brien and he trains them for their 2-and 3-year-old and sometimes 4-year-old seasons, hopefully getting them to Royal Ascot or another decent carnival, and then they come down to Chris Waller in Australia."
They get every opportunity.”
When asked about the international ownership structure, Bosma said:
“Roughly about 90 per cent of the owners are Kiwis or Aussies, but we have a handful of Americans and a few from Ireland involved. It really is bucket list stuff for our owners and they seem to be very keen on the idea.”
Go Racing active in the North
Go Racing has taken a diversified approach when sourcing talent in the Northern Hemisphere, and when asked whether he preferred the Breeze-Up market where Go Racing has had past success, or the Yearling Sales, Albert Bosma explained that both now play a role in their buying strategy.
“We have also in the past been active at the Breeze-Up sales. Although they are quite different to New Zealand, they have private timing and I think it can create opportunities. I believe if you’re onto it at the Breeze-Ups, you can analyse them well and still find some value.”
Yearling sales have also proven fruitful, particularly outside the upper tiers of the market.
“The yearling sales away from the top end have so many opportunities, and it works with our targeting of Royal Ascot. For example, the Northern Hemisphere doesn’t respect or like the Zoustars, so we’ve made the most of that and had success buying them.”
“The yearling sales away from the top end have so many opportunities, and it works with our targeting of Royal Ascot.” - Albert Bosma
“But at the top of the market, forget about it, there’s just too much money floating around with the big owners over there, with the likes of Godolphin, Coolmore, Amo Racing, etc.”
In addition to racing, Go Racing has made smart plays in the trading space, buying yearlings and pinhooking them through the Breeze-Up system.
“We’ve also had some success buying yearlings and selling through the Breeze-Ups. We bought Maximized as a yearling for 80,000 guineas and sold him to Godolphin for £720,000, he looks very smart and won the Woodcote at Epsom. We’ve also sold a colt for 500,000 Guineas to Coolmore that we bought for 90,000 guineas as a yearling and he got beat a nose on debut.
“So we’ve done very well out of those ventures, and that has provided another opportunity for our clients.”
“So we’ve done very well out of those ventures (Breeze-Up and Yearling Sales), and that has provided another opportunity for our clients.” - Albert Bosma
The sale of Atishu
Recently at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Go Racing and their owners enjoyed a fantastic result when they sold Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) to Yulong Stud for $2.7 million. It marked another significant success for the syndication company after the outstanding mare concluded a stellar racing career, which included 11 wins, three at Group 1 level, and nearly $6 million in prizemoney.
Atishu had originally been entered for sale 12 months earlier, but plans changed, as Bosma explained:
Atishu (NZ) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“About 12 months ago we had a round table meeting with Chris (Waller), and he said, ‘I reckon she can win another Group 1 for you this season.
“What it meant though is we thought her value would drop from about $3.5 million in value as a 6-year-old to $2.5 million selling as a 7-year-old.
“We sat down with the owners, had a round-table meeting and decided to roll the dice. Chris was proven right. She did win another Group 1 and about $1.5 million more stakes money. We ended up losing about $800,000 in value and sold her for $2.7 million.
“The rise and rise of fillies in the sales ring, and if they have success it can be massive. You can genuinely get a second payday.”
“The rise and rise of fillies in the sales ring, and if they have success it can be massive. You can genuinely get a second payday.” - Albert Bosma
The decision proved rewarding not only financially but also emotionally for everyone involved.
“Atishu was a marvellous mare to us that provided a lot of thrills. Only in New Zealand and Australia can you really race them up to a 6 or 7-year-old, and by that stage, they become a bit like a pet, you get so genuinely involved in them.
“It rates a thrill and a real buzz for the owners, and with Atishu, myself, Matt, Chris, and the team got it right with her. We may have to pay a fortune to buy one of her progeny in the future!
“It was great. The shared emotion was fantastic, and it was very personal, she was a great mare to us.”
What’s next for Go Racing?
Go Racing has proven adept at diversifying within the bloodstock industry, whether syndicating horses in New Zealand and Australia, sourcing imports from Europe, buying Northern Hemisphere yearlings to target Royal Ascot, or pinhooking through the Breeze-Up markets. But like any smart operator, the team is constantly evaluating the next frontier.
When asked what might be on the horizon, Bosma said:
“We are always looking to do things better each year and to create new opportunities for potential owners.
“We are always looking to do things better each year and to create new opportunities for potential owners.” - Albert Bosma
“We are flirting with the idea of racing in America, and are seriously looking at buying out of South Africa and sending them to Europe, as that looks much easier with the adjustment of quarantine rules.
“The American idea may be tricky with tax implications, but we will look to make it work. On the other hand South Africa is something we are very serious about, we think there is very good value, and the Rand is very weak at the moment.
“It is exciting to look at different opportunities, and we will be looking at being able to pull it off.”
“It is exciting to look at different opportunities, and we will be looking at being able to pull it off.” - Albert Bosma
But first, all eyes are on Royal Ascot, where Go Racing is hopeful of making a real impact.
“That is the goal. It’s the best racing carnival in the world, and to be involved is exciting, but to be able to win a race there, that would be the peak. It would cap off a remarkable season.”
One thing is certain, wherever in the world the next racing thrill or opportunity may be, Albert Bosma and Go Racing will be chasing it.
