Bob Peters will be hoping Royal Attraction’s disappointing run on Wednesday is just a blip on the radar when she continues her current campaign in Perth.
The Redoute’s Choice mare was a brilliant first-up winner at Ascot on G1 Railway Stakes day prior to a puzzling loss at the midweek meeting. She started an odds-on favourite but raced like her forte will be over more ground than 1500m.
Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) agent Damon Gabbedy bought Royal Attraction on behalf of Peters and his wife Sandra for $300,000 at the 2014 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. She’s a full-sister to Shadwell Estates filly Shaaheq who split Star Witness and Beneteau in the G1 Blue Diamond prior to winning the G3 Bloodhorse Breeders at Flemington.
Royal Attraction is the final foal of widely-travelled mare Damaschino (Last Tycoon). A juvenile stakes winner in New Zealand, she crossed the ditch to win at Group 3 level in Melbourne before travelling to North America for more black-type at Hollywood Park.
Meanwhile, Belmont Bloodstock’s top-priced colt from the 2016 Inglis Ready2Race Sale has been named Stageman. The Written Tycoon youngster cost $310,000 and will race for Peters Investments with Perth trainers Grant & Alana Williams.
Written Tycoon is going gangbusters at Woodside Park and Gabbedy bought several young fillies and mares for the Tylden operation at the Arqana December Sale last weekend. Kendargent 3yo filly Kutina, a runner-up at Deauville & Maisons-Laffitte in 6 starts, was top-priced at 100,000 euros.
“Her third dam is the great Fanfreluche and was offered by the Wertheimer brothers,” Woodside’s Matt Tillett said. “We just wanted to buy into one of their families that we know so well in Australia.
“We also bought two mares off the Aga Khan. He has arguably the best broodmare band in the world and to buy into his families that have been built up over generations is fantastic.”
Gabbedy was also acting for Woodside Park when he purchased Tie Me Up (Royal Academy) for $170,000 out of a Patinack Farm dispersal in 2014. Her 3yo sprinter Husson Eagle had just won his maiden at Bendigo and it was springboard for prizemoney earnings of $930,000 to date.
Husson Eagle is on track to defend his Magic Millions Sprint crown in January while Tie Me Up is nursing a cracking filly by Woodside / Widden sire Zoustar foaled in September.
Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia (FBAA) was formed in 1998 to maintain, improve and develop the standards, status and services of bloodstock agents throughout Australia. Its members operate with the utmost integrity and professionalism and are bound by the strict Industry Code of Conduct.
The list of FBAA members can be found here.
BOB PETERS & DAMON GABBEDY