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New Zealand syndicator Albert Bosma is acutely aware of the lucrative prizemoney on offer in Australia and hopes to have an increasing presence in the lucky country with both visiting raiders and permanently domiciled runners.
The Stephen McKee-trained three-year-old Hasabro jetted to Melbourne on Wednesday and will sport Go Racing’s navy blue and white silks as he embarks on a Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) campaign.
“We’ve had a plan with him dating back to February to target the VRC Derby,” Bosma said.“Stephen McKee recognised early on that the horse just wants to stay and he said he thought he was the right sort of horse. He’s got the temperament, he will stay and we believe he has the ability.
“He’s still a maiden, so we’ve made the commitment based on his potential.”A son of Savabeel, Hasabro has had six starts and closed well for fourth over 1400m at Ruakaka last start. He has been entered for a 1700m maiden at Geelong on Monday to commence his Victorian campaign, with several lead-up races to the Derby to be considered.
“He’s ready to run well,” Bosma said. “One thing about the path to the Derby is that a lot of the horses that don’t stay drop out and usually one-win horses make the field.”Bosma believes New Zealand connections should back their judgment and send progressive horses to compete in Australia earlier.
“Most horses make their money on the way through the grades and if you wait until you’re proven and highly rated, it is hard to compete over there,” he said.“Hasabro will compete in a A$26,000 maiden on Monday and will step up in prizemoney from there.”
Bosma said lightly-tried four-year-old mares Campari and Mark Two will race in New South Wales next week for trainer Stephen Marsh in a bid to earn significant prizemoney.“They are both maiden horses, but their form is excellent,” he said.
“Campari will run in a maiden at Gosford next Thursday for close to $40,000 Kiwi (A$35,000).“Mark Two is the same, she is a very good horse and she is a stayer and she will run on the same day over a mile.
“We know they’re Group horses, but they happen to be maidens.“The idea of this campaign is to make money and get them through to Saturday class and running for A$125,000. They are both Stakes-placed already, but we will worry about running them in black-type races next preparation.”
Go Racing will also be represented by the Chris Waller-trained import Alward in Saturday’s Gr.1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick.“We imported two horses from England in Alward and Raqeeq and they have both been very successful and I will be heading up to the Newmarket Horses in Training Sale to try and find another couple to send to Australia.
“We sent over three three-year-olds to Chris, including Stardome, which ran third on debut at Warwick Farm last week and we’ve got another three that have been broken-in in New Zealand and will be heading to him as well.”Bosma said Go Racing’s volume of horses in Australia has risen from previous years and he expects that uplift to continue.
“You simply can’t ignore the fact that New South Wales runs for A$125,000 on a Saturday, maidens are A$35,000 and midweeks are A$50,000,” he said.Meanwhile, Go Racing will be out to replicate their success in last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) won by Hasahalo with talented filly Loose Cannon. The Stephen Marsh-trained daughter of Tavistock finished a luckless fourth in the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings last Saturday and will have just two more runs this campaign.
“We put her in the paddock for a week after that run,” Bosma said. “She will come back in next week and then she will go to the Soliloquy on the 27th (October) followed by the 1000 Guineas and then she will go for a break.”