Hunter-based syndicators Australian Bloodstock (AB) have completed their spring carnival team with a horse director Luke Murrell believes is their second-best Melbourne Cup prospect.
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The company, which won the 2014 Melbourne Cup with Protectionist, bought a controlling share in five-year-old Raheen House.
The Irish gelding was a $9 equal-second favourite with Sportsbet for the $A1.8 million Ebor Handicap (2787m) at York this weekend. AB also have Mustajeer ($12.50) in the race. Both will head to Australia in the first shipment of spring carnival imports with the Caulfield and Melbourne cups as targets.
Newcastle's Kris Lees will take over the training of Mustajeer after the Ebor. Foreman Cameren Swan will travel to England to oversee Mustajeer's time through quarantine. AB's other imports will stay with their existing trainers for the spring.
Mustajeer was $51 for the Melbourne Cup with TAB, while Raheen House, Torcedor and Shraaoh were $26 chances for AB.
Raheen House, a full brother to Sydney Cup (3200m) winner Shraaoh, is one of only two horses to finish ahead of champion mare Enable, even though that was in April 2017. Murrell believed the William Haggas-trained stayer was a Melbourne Cup contender.
"If Torcedor is fit and healthy on the day, they won't get near him, but Raheen House is probably our best Melbourne Cup hope outside of him," Murrell said.
AB have 12 horses in the TAB Melbourne Cup market, which does not include 2017 fourth placegetter Big Duke. Mugatoo is in the same market but he will not compete in the spring. The rest are Danceteria, Sixties Groove, Aliferous, Red Cardinal, Attention Run, Saunter Boy and Mawaany Machine.
As for buying more spring carnival hopes, Murrell said: "We're probably done for the time being. We've got enough ammo so hopefully something hits its mark."
On Thursday, AB and Lees will chase the $150,000 Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury with Mr Garcia, which was eighth first-up in the Coffs Harbour Cup.
"He was a lot closer than we wanted to be, because the track had a bit of bias that day," Murrell said. "He looked a bit common, but I think he'll improve sharply."
He said Mr Garcia was a good each-way chance.
Meanwhile, Murrell said their Lees-trained group 1 placegetter Princess Posh had been sold to a client of Coolmore.
The six-year-old mare, a $25,000 yearling and two-time group 3 winner, finished with racetrack earnings of $764,020.