The Australian
Bloodstock team of Luke Murrell and Jamie Lovett have enjoyed a fruitful run
since the start of the year with numerous Australian stakes victories keeping
their familiar blue, white and black colours firmly in the spotlight.
A successful partnership with champion trainer Darren Weir has yielded the
following results providing plenty of excitement and lucrative returns for the
many owners involved in the following horses.
1st G2 $300,000 Chairmans Hcp BIG DUKE
1st G3 $200,000 Launceston Cup BIG DUKE
1st G3 $150,000 Manion Cup BIG DUKE
3rd G1 $2million Sydney Cup BIG DUKE
2nd G3 $200,000 Hobart Cup BIG DUKE
1st G3 $150,000 Frank Packer Plate MONGOLIAN WOLF
1st Open $100,000 GOLDSTREAM
1st Open $100,000 ARTICUS
1st $50,000 Anzac Day Cup SLOW PACE (trained by Kris Lees)
Also making his mark, albeit without winning was highly rated Japanese purchase
Tosen Stardom who ran extremely well at his only three runs in the autumn.
Tosen Stardom was an unlucky fourth in the Group II MVRC Dato Tan Chin Nam
Stakes and then second in the Group I MRC Futurity Stakes (beaten a nose by Black Heart Bart) and Group II VRC
Blamey Stakes.
Australian Bloodstock scour the globe looking for suitable racing prospects and
have high hopes of further success this weekend in Europe.
Three year-old filly Delectation is set to compete for Australian Bloodstock
this weekend in the Group I Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Deauville, the
French equivalent of the 1,000 Guineas.
An English bred filly that was bought after her debut maiden win at Thirsk by
Australian Bloodstock, the daughter of young Dansili sire Delegator is now
trained by German conditioner Andreas Wohler, who won the Melbourne Cup for
Australian Bloodstock with Protectionist.
Delectation has won her only two starts for her new connections in Group III
events including a last start win in the Group III Ullman-Schwarzgold Rennen at
Cologne.
That was a dominant two length win over a mile and should put her right in the
picture at Deauville on Sunday.
Unbeaten coming into the French Classic, Delectation will be seeking to
replicate the success of other Australian Bloodstock owned fillies Salomina and
Turfdonna, who were both purchased after maiden wins and then won the German
Oaks before being subsequently sold to leading Japanese breeder Katsumi
Yoshida.
"It's been a successful formula for us with Salomina and Turfdonna both proving
great investments and Delectation has done everything right so far," said Jamie
Lovett.
Also trained by Andreas Wohler is lightly raced Montjeu five year-old Red
Cardinal, who will contest the Group II Berlin-Hoppegarten in Germany over 3200
metres.
"Red Cardinal was purchased with a view to bringing him out for last year's
Melbourne Cup, but spiked a temperature and missed quarantine," revealed
Lovett.
"He later ran second behind Nightflower in a Group in Germany at the back end in
the season."
Red Cardinal has the impressive record of three wins and four placings from
seven starts, but has not won a stakes race.
"The plan is for Andreas to bring him to Melbourne this year," Lovett
continued.
"He will avoid the European Group I races this season, as we would love to get
him here on the limit, to join Big Duke in the Melbourne Cup."
A win on Sunday in Berlin would get the job done… watch this space!