Australian Bloodstock

This year's G2 Lonsdale Cup winner Vauban (Fr) is set to continue his racing career in Australia, having been purchased by Australian Bloodstock, in partnership with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, for a rumoured fee of around A$2 million (€1.23 million). The news was confirmed by Australian Bloodstock's Jamie Lovett on Wednesday. Previously trained by Willie Mullins, Vauban had been expected to return to Ireland in preparation for a tilt at the G1 Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the scene of his first major success for Mullins and owner...

Newtown Anner Stud's homebred Darnation (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}--Monday Monday {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) will make a second visit to Dusseldorf this Sunday--for an enticing renewal of the €500,000 166th G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks)--and May's G2 German 1000 Guineas heroine is set to encounter 15 rivals as part of a fully subscribed cast of 16 in the Grafenberg venue's 11-furlong annual highlight. The Karl Burke-trained G3 Prestige Stakes and G2 May Hill Stakes winner ran second when stepping up to 10 furlongs for Newcastle's G3 Hoppings Stakes...

by TTR AusNZ Dual-hemisphere Group 1 winner Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}--Patineuse {Ger}, by Peintre Celebre), who won the 2014 G1 Melbourne Cup for Australian Bloodstock, died recently at 13. Australian Bloodstock, who raced Protectionist later in his career, said via X, "Sad to hear of the passing of 'our champ' Protectionist. A remarkable horse with such a strong character who meant a lot to so many people. #Lifechanger." Bred by Dr. Christoph Berglar, the bay won the G2 Hansa-Preis and G2 Prix Kergorlay for his breeder and trainer Andreas Wohler...

Multiple Group 3 winner Lastotchka (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) has been purchased by Australian Bloodstock and is under consideration for the G1 Melbourne Cup in November. The 4-year-old filly most recently won the G3 Prix Gladiateur at ParisLongchamp earlier this month. She was raced by Ecurie Noel Forgeard, Pierre Bonnier, Earl Touchstone, Charles-Henri Bonnier and Philippe Stein prior to her acquisition. The daughter of Muthla (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) won the G3 Prix Belle de Nuit earlier in her career. "We completed the deal last night," Jamie Lovett of Australian Bloodstock told...

G2 Coventry S. hero Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) has been purchased by Australian Bloodstock and will be trained in Australia by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. The gelding was trained by Andrew Balding for Berkshire Parts & Panels, Ltd. No1 Fanclub. He won the Listed Lady Wulfruna S. in March and the All-Weather Mile Championships Conditions S. this year, and was also third in the G1 Lockinge S. He reported home fifth in the G1 Queen Anne S. and, in his final start on English soil, ran sixth...

Luke Murrell, one of the directors of Australian Bloodstock, has issued a public apology following disparaging comments made in regard to the former connections of the syndicate's recent purchase New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}). Australian Bloodstock has enjoyed notable success with horses recruited from Europe, which include the Melbourne Cup winners Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}). A video released over the weekend promoting last year's Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up New Energy as a potential Cox Plate candidate included comments from Murrell which called into...

New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), the 40-1 runner-up behind Native Trail (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the 2022 G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, will be gelded and will ultimately continue his career under the care of Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in Australia after being acquired by Jamie Lovett's Australian Bloodstock following a lengthy courtship. Trained in England by Sheila Lavery for her brother John, the £65,000 Tattersalls Goresbridge breezer won his maiden at first asking in June 2021, his lone victory to date, but he has run with credit...

Gestut Rottgen's homebred 2-year-old colt Aspirant (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}--Aussicht {Ger}, by Haafhd {GB}), who holds an engagement in Krefeld's Nov. 13 G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen, went postward as the 16-5 second choice for Sunday's one-mile Preis der Holschbach Immobilien Gruppe at Dusseldorf and returned home with a 'TDN Rising Star' after disposing of his rivals in impressive fashion. Aspirant was professional from the gate and broke well to gain a narrow advantage going into the first turn. Comfortable on the lead throughout this debut, he was nudged along at the...

'Industry heavyweights' seems to have been the buzz phrase of the last few weeks, and we have a few of those in our long-running 12-to-follow competition organised by my husband every Flat and National Hunt season. Those competing this summer include several leading Irish stud masters, bloodstock agents, trainers, breeders, sales company executives, and the head of the Tote. And they are all currently trailing in the wake of an 11-year-old boy who was shrewd enough to include Little Big Bear in his list. What a selection that was. Mind...

Classic-winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy is making the most of his week-long trip to Europe by riding in the Shergar Cup on Saturday followed by the G1 Preis de Diana in Dusseldorf on Sunday. A treble winner of the Melbourne Cup, McEvoy joins Christophe Lemaire, Takeshi Yokoyama and Jason Collett on the Rest of the World team for Saturday's unique fixture at Ascot, which welcomes back McEvoy's former Godolphin colleague Frankie Dettori to the Shergar Cup for the first time in six years.  The Australian spent four years riding in Britain,...

Mickley Stud's first-season sire Massaat (Ire) (by Teofilo {Ire}) had his first winner on Thursday as the Australian Bloodstock acquisition Mascapone (GB) prevailed at Chelmsford. Not seen since finishing fourth in Doncaster's Brocklesby Mar. 26, the 7-4 favourite was anchored in rear early by Jamie Spencer in the opening six-furlong maiden. Delivered to the front with 150 yards remaining, the David Simcock-trained bay asserted to score by 1 1/4 lengths from Lady Lavina (GB) (The Last Lion {Ire}). Australian Bloodstock's Jamie Lovett, who purchased Mascarpone privately, told TDN Europe, "He...

Spendthrift Farm will discontinue its operations in Australia and put its property there up for sale, it was announced Wednesday. "This has been a very difficult decision for us," said Eric Gustavson, owner of Spendthrift. "We have a wonderful team in Australia and will be working closely with them to help make this as smooth a transition for them as possible. The Thoroughbred industry in Australia is one of the finest in the world, and we have great respect for the job they've done in building it. We've been fortunate...