Go Racing and Thoroughbred News
Big international week for Go Racing
New Zealand-based syndicators Go Racing have had another busy week of international success both in the sales ring and on the racetrack.
On Monday last week they were active at the Arqana Autumn Sale in France, securing Mandalay, a three-year-old colt who has won two races and placed in one of four starts.
While Go Racing are no strangers to the European sales scene, Mandalay is the first horse they have purchased in Europe to race in their home country.
“He’s going to Stephen Marsh in New Zealand,” Go Racing’s Albert Bosma said.
“He’s bred to be a very good ten-furlong horse, and we’ve bought him to target those good 2000m races in New Zealand next summer.
“It’s our first foray into buying a European horse for New Zealand and I can see it being the first of many.”
Mandalay was knocked down to Go Racing in partnership with Blandford Bloodstock, who they’re forming a formidable partnership with, for under their budgeted value, which delighted Bosma.
On Wednesday the Chris Waller-trained European Import Tajanis become a dual hemisphere winner, when he carried the Go Racing silks to win in Sydney.
“He’s a horse we bought from the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in for just 40,000 guineas last year,” Bosma said.
“He’s a very good stayer and he won really easily and he will go a lot further”
Closer to home, on Thursday Go Racing and Blandford Bloodstock purchased a Toronado gelding out of Assuming for $260,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale. He is also destined to join champion trainer Chris Waller’s stable.
“This gelding had fantastic data and statistics from the breeze ups,” Bosma said. “He was one of the very top horses of the sale by our measurements, so we were excited to get him.”
On the same day Bosma tuned in to watch Freedom Reins pick up the third win of her career in Timaru.
Trained in Christchurch by Andrew Carston she was purchased for $72,500 out of the 2021 Windsor Park Stud Rugby Racing and Beer Sale in Christchurch.
“Our horses come from a diverse range of sales, and they race all over the world,” Bosma said.
“This weekend we have Night Wolf running in the two-year-old race at Ellerslie, he was a $15,000 purchase from the New Zealand Bloodstock Online Yearling Sale earlier this year.
“They can come from anywhere and it can cost as little as $15,000 or significantly more to find the right one. It’s about doing the research and keeping an eye on all the sales.”
This point was further illustrated on Monday when the Go Racing/Blandford Bloodstock team purchased a Sergei Prokofiev filly out of Kentucky Belle from the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale in England for 55,000 guineas, who will be owned in partnership with Sam Sangster and trained in Ireland.
“Sergei Prokofiev is the leading first season sire in Britain and Ireland and this filly is a half-sister to Issac Shelby who was second in the French equivalent of the 2000 Guineas and is standing at stud in England next year.”
Go Racing currently have horses racing in New Zealand, Australia and Europe with plans afoot to add the U.S.A. to that list.
“We’re looking into racing some horses in California next,” Bosma said. “So, we’re certainly opening up options for our owners around the world and It’s great to be able to give them that opportunity.”
Photo: Mandalay, purchased in France by Go Racing last week is set to join the Stephen Marsh stable in New Zealand.
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Freedom Reins provides nervous watch
Trainer Andrew Carston breathed a sigh of relief when his charge Freedom Reins won the Palamountains Scientific Animal Nutrition (1600m) by a half-head, at Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru on Thursday.
Carston watched the race on his phone from the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale at Karaka with her syndicate manager, Go Racing’s Albert Bosma, watching over his shoulder.
“I was thinking to myself while I was watching the race, this could go one of two ways,” Carston said. “But it was a great result and it’s always positive to get a win, especially when the boss is standing beside you.”
“Go Racing have been great supporters of mine so it’s good continue our success together and get good results for them.”
Freedom Reins had disappointed her connections at her last start on the first day of Cup Week at Riccarton, when she finished in eleventh position.
Bosma credited Carston and his team for turning her form around so quickly.
“We were disappointed with her last raceday performance,” he said. “However she was able to put that behind her yesterday.
“She was also given a gun ride by apprentice jockey Yogesh Atchamah who had her stalking the leaders throughout and he timed his run to perfection, getting up in the shadows of the post.”
Carston said that while Thursday’s win wasn’t expected he wasn’t surprised to see the five-year-old mare pick up her third career win either.
“I was disappointed with her run at Riccarton but she’s back on track now,” he said. “It was obviously a lesser field this time, but we rode her differently too and it was a nice ride from the young fella (Atchamah) to ride her quiet and she hit the line nicely.”
Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Freedom Reins is by their resident sire Turn Me Loose out of Black Beauty. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Beauty’s Beast and stakes-performer Yanson and is from a family that Go Racing know well.
“She’s from the family of Prince Mambo and Pullyoursocksup who have been stakes horses for us,” Bosma said.
Both Carston and Bosma were active on the final day of the Ready To Run Sale.
Go Racing secured Lot 280 the Toronado gelding out of Assuming for $260,000 while Carston purchased Lot 355 the Hellbent filly out of Emerge for $260,000 also.
