Lovett adding more youth to experienced team

Australian Bloodstock is best known for its success with imported stayers the ilk of Melbourne Cup winners Gold Trip and Protectionist, but the syndication company is keen to expand its presence in the two-year-old market.

While they will continue doing what they do best by finding horses like All-Star Mile winner Mugatoo and Epsom Handicap dead-heater Top Ranked, director Jamie Lovett says they have started to dabble in buying some better-bred yearlings.

“This will be the first year we have really bought horses with two-year-old racing in mind,” Lovett said.

“We have got a couple there that are showing us enough and we bought 15 on the Gold Coast this year, which is the strongest we’ve ever been in that space where we’re trying to buy horses we think can get up and going early.”

Australian Bloodstock will have an interest in the juvenile race at Randwick on Saturday with Tawfiq Star to make his debut for trainer Annabel Neasham in the Listed Lonhro Plate (1000m).

By their Group 1 winner Tosen Stardom, Tawfiq Star was bred by one of Lovett’s clients and when the horse proved difficult to catalogue in the major sales, he was offered online.

Lovett phoned Neasham and told her he was worth a look.

“So Annabel bought him and I said, ‘I really like the horse, I’ll come into the horse so I took half and put some clients into him with me’,” Lovett said.

“Physically, I’m not surprised he is up and going earlier than most of the Tosen Stardom breed.

“He just looks a runner. The way he is bred, he will be better the further he goes, but I have loved his trials.

“Annabel says he has lovely balance and he’s got a beautiful action on him. He is very economical.”

Tawfiq Star finished runner-up to Militarize in a recent barrier trial and that horse made a sensational winning debut at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Lovett doesn’t anticipate Tawfiq Star doing the same over a sprint journey, but he is hopeful the colt has a bright future.

“You just don’t know what you’ve got with unraced two-year-olds,” he said.

“While you’ve got an unraced two-year-old you’ve got a ticket in the lottery.

“I would be totally surprised if he could win. I just want to see him run well, set his campaign up and set his spring campaign up.”

With Maribyrnong Plate winner Zulfiqar scratched to run in Melbourne, Tulloch Lodge youngster Sicilian, who finished midfield on a heavy track at his only start in the Gimcrack Stakes, heads Lonhro Plate markets at $2.90 with Tawfiq Star a $15 chance.