Australian syndicator Darby Racing has enjoyed another major return from its New Zealand buying strategy, with Thebudgiesmugla continuing his rapid rise through the staying ranks.
The New Zealand-bred son of Redwood has been a revelation since joining Bjorn Baker's Warwick Farm stable, with his dominant victory in Saturday's Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) further strengthening Darby Racing's faith in sourcing tried horses from across the Tasman.
Thebudgiesmugla has now won seven of his 13 starts and remains unbeaten in five attempts over 2400m, having also claimed the Listed Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Rosehill at his previous start.
Darby Racing's New Zealand blueprint has already delivered Melbourne Cup qualifier Goldman, who won six races and more than A$663,000 in prizemoney, Brisbane Cup winner Campaldino, whose seven victories have earned more than A$675,000, and multiple Saturday winner Collect Your Cash, who has won five races and more than A$316,000.
Darby Racing principal Scott Darby said Thebudgiesmugla was another example of why the syndicator keeps returning to New Zealand.
"We use a couple of bloodstock agents in New Zealand," Darby said.
"We've bought most of them through Phill Cataldo, but we've recently linked up with Dave Mee Bloodstock and this was actually a Dave Mee find, and very well found.
"We get a lot of New Zealand horses put across our desk, so we've got to wade through the breeding and race records.
"You've got to make sure there's enough there so you can syndicate the horse as well.
"He'd had four starts for two wins, one of them in a highweight race, and he presented as a proper stayer.
"You never know how far they'll go, but we've had success identifying horses that show genuine staying ability.
"Because our staying ranks aren't that strong here, and in New Zealand the horses have been given their time, once they come over to an Australian trainer, that seems to be a bit of a winning formula.
"They're not all going to be Group horses, but we've certainly had our fair share of success in a short period of time with New Zealand-breds.
"Do you ever dream they're going to get to be winning Group races? No, you're hoping they can be competitive in metro grade, and we've got great prizemoney so it can make those purchases worthwhile quite quickly."
Darby said Goldman was the horse that convinced him New Zealand was a market worth pursuing.
"The whole journey of us purchasing horses from New Zealand started with Goldman, who qualified for a Melbourne Cup," he said.
"He had very modest breeding. We didn't know a lot about the form. We were going off the back of what Robbie Waterhouse advised.
"We had to take a leap of faith to buy this skinny horse that potentially looked like he could stay, but with not a lot of pedigree at all.
"And not knowing the New Zealand form like we do today, that was our first leap of faith. It's certainly paid dividends and it's continued on from there."
Darby said the advice of bloodstock agents Phill Cataldo and Dave Mee had become invaluable, but ultimately the decision still came down to what he saw himself.
"It probably helps that we don't know the form or the tracks as well, because we simply trust our eye.
"Sometimes we'll buy a horse like Thebudgiesmugla and you'll get some flak from people that know a lot more about the form than we do.
"A good example is Collect Your Cash, who has been a multiple Saturday winner. There were people who questioned his form in the South Island, but we just trusted our eye that he was a genuine staying horse."
Darby said experience had taught him the best New Zealand purchases were genuine middle-distance and staying horses.
"I think as we're starting to progress, we've definitely got to hone more into those real staying horses," he said.
"The ones we've bought that suit around a mile, I think the competition obviously really strengthens here. Thus far we haven't done as well with a couple of those, but most of them we've bought as dead-set middle-distance to staying horses and they have been a big success."
For Darby Racing's ownership base, the appeal of the tried horse market is simple.
“A lot of the complaints we get on the yearling front is the wait time,” Darby said. “If you're going to syndicate a yearling that stays or runs middle distance, you can be waiting quite some time unless they're a Derby or an Oaks type.
"Many New Zealand trainers make their living by rearing these horses or buying for not a lot of money at the sales and getting them to a level to sell to Hong Kong or Australia.
"They've done all the hard work. We get to see their ability and try to work out how they'll fit here.
"Our owners love jumping into the tried horses just for that fact of less wait time. You may not have the spectrum of buying a yearling and winning a Golden Slipper, but getting horses to win Saturday level satisfies them."
Thebudgiesmugla will now enjoy a three-week spell before returning to Baker's stable to be aimed at the spring carnival.
While no firm targets have been locked in, another rise through the staying ranks could see the progressive gelding force his way into Melbourne Cup calculations later in the year.
"He wasn't showing a real lot in work, but the minute we stepped him right up in distance, he certainly showed he was going to be up to winning provincial to midweek to even Saturday races," Darby said.
"The rise has been quicker than we all thought, and it particularly surprised Bjorn." – NZ Racing Desk
