Aussie aims for Velocious

Velocious winning the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO. Photo: Race Images

Feature races in Australia are on the agenda for star two-year-old Velocious (Written Tycoon) following her brilliant win in Saturday’s Karaka Million 2YO Classic.

Speaking after purchasing Velocious’ Dundeel half-sister at Karaka on Monday, Go Racing’s Albert Bosma said the Stephen Marsh-trained filly has bounced through her win at Ellerslie on Saturday.

The Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in Marsh looms as her next start before a decision is made about whether she campaigns in Sydney.

A spring campaign in Melbourne is also on the radar later in 2024.

“She’s come through it brilliantly,” Bosma said.

“We’ll probably go to the Sistema with her, but the thought is that we might come for the Sires’ Produce in Sydney – that’s just a thought if she can win the Group One here, but we’ll map out the rest of her autumn after that.

“She’s not just a squibby two-year-old.

“She looks like she’s going to get a mile on her physical make-up and I would expect her to develop between two and three, so we’d certainly be looking at Australia in the spring.”

Of the Dundeel filly, Lot 295, that he bought for $300,000 from the draft of Inglewood Stud on Monday, Bosma said he was keen to secure her regardless of the fact she is related to his current star.

He confirmed she will also be trained by Marsh and be aimed at next year’s Karaka Millions.

“We’re really happy to get her,” Bosma said.

“We don’t buy horses simply because they are related to good ones we have – the saying is that Jimmy Hendrix’s brother couldn’t play the guitar – so it wasn’t an emotional buy.

“Dundeel is doing an amazing job, particularly with his two-year-olds, so she looks like she may make a two-year-old as well.

“I think the stallions have stamped both fillies – Velocious looks like a Written Tycoon filly with a bit of length and this girl looks like a Dundeel.

“But what they both share is a great walk, a good depth of girth and I think the way they move and use themselves is the same.”