We have become quite numb to European imports winning in Australia; even so, they had a day out on Saturday with several notable performances at Flemington and Randwick.
Hosier (IRE) (Camelot x Time Ahead by Spectrum)
The Lloyd Williams colour-bearer Hosier continued on his winning way at Flemington. For the first time in his four starts in his adopted homeland, Hosier needed to dig deep to keep his winning streak intact.
The consistent Tooradin, a son of Melbourne Cup winner Americain, went down fighting by a half-head.
Trained by Robert Hickmott, Hosier is now likely to be spelled. He made two starts in Ireland for Joseph O’Brien, finishing midfield over 10-furlongs maiden at Leopardstown in June last, year won by subsequent Melbourne Cup runner-up Tiger Moth. He then finished second over 2012m at Fairyhouse.
Bred by Robert Lanigan, Hosier was purchased by his previous trainer Joseph O’Brien for €110,000 out of the La Motteraye consignment at the 2018 Arqana August Yearling Sale.
He is out of the Group 1 French Oaks runner-up Time Ahead (Spectrum), a half-sister to Group III Mussidora Stakes winner Time Away (Darshaan), also placed in the French Oaks.
Time Ahead’s granddam is the champion Time Charter, a 4-time Group 1 winner of the Epsom Oaks, Champion Stakes, King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and Coronation Cup.
Schabau (GER) (Pastorius x Staying Alive by Royal Dragon)
Robert Hickmott kick-started the day at Flemington with the German-bred 7yo gelding Schabau (GER), who battled his way to a short-head victory over fellow import Killourney (IRE) over 2550m.
Like Hosier, Schabau (GER) made an immediate impact in Australia. He won his first three starts culminating with his first stakes success in the Roy Higgins Quality (2600m) at Flemington in March 2019. He was off the scene due to an injjury for 63 weeks after that run.
In Europe, the son of Pastorius had placed in his first four starts before breaking through over 2000m at Hamburg.
On Deutsches Derby day in 2018, Schabau (GER) was again an impressive winner over 2200m. Bloodstock agent Suman Hedge, along with Hickmott, brokered a deal to purchase the then three-year-old.
Saturday’s victory advances the lightly raced 7yo geldings record to six wins, two seconds, and four thirds from 16 starts with earnings of $413,635.
Turaath (GB) (Oasis Dream x Fadhayyil by Tamayuz)
The third European import to win at Flemington was the Maddi Raymond-trained mare Turaath (GB).
A model of consistency, Turaath led at every call under Jye McNeill in the 1410m contest to win by three and three-quarter lengths.
Raymond said that she had met Turaath’s owner John Nicholls in Dubai.
Nicholls, who runs the quarantine facility there, had purchased Turaath for 35,000gns at the 2020 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
The Shadwell homebred had just one win, on the all-weather at Newcastle, from seven starts,
After placing at Warrnambool and Geelong, Turaath (GB) broke through at her most recent start at Sandown.
The mare’s dam Fadhayyil won the Listed City Of York Stakes and placed in the Group II Rockfel Stakes and Group III Jersey Stakes.
Harpo Marx (IRE) (Galileo x Nechita Fastnet Rock)
By Galileo out of Fastnet Rock’s Group 1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Nechita, Harpo Marx was looked on as a likely stallion prospect when Darby Racing outlaid 60,000gns at the 2019 Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale.
After a less than stellar record for Aidan O’Brien, it took just a few demoralizing barrier trials in Australia for the son of Galileo to continue his track career as a gelding.
The Bjorn Baker-trainee took his record to six wins, four seconds, and two thirds from 23 starts with earnings of $338,270, with a hard-fought win over 2400m at Randwick on Saturday with the promise of more to come
Kingsheir (GB) (Kingman x Rose Memory by Elusive City)
The Team Hawkes-trained Kingsheir (GB) kicked off the new season as a gelding with a length and three-quarter victory over 1300m at Randwick.
Like Hosier, Kingheir came out of the 2018 Arqana August Yearling Sale and coincidently came at the same cost, €110,000.
Unlike Hosier, Kingsheir did not race in Europe. The Orbis Bloodstock colour-bearer landed in Australia in June 2019 and made a winning debut at Newcastle just over a year later.
The lightly raced 4yo advances his record to three wins, a second and a third from six starts with earnings of $131,390.
The son of Juddmonte Farms rising star Kingman is out of the Elusive City mare Rose Of Memory, a sister to the Group II Prix Noailles winner Charter Dream (Oasis Dream).
