Going global – New Zealand syndicator making most of established and new frontiers

Between hemispheres, Albert Bosma has most angles covered as a global strategy towards bloodstock starts to crystallise into a diverse portfolio of racehorses.

On his doorstep, Bosma can access contemporary New Zealand bloodlines curated from rich pastures of farms like the world-renowned Waikato Stud.

Australia provides a setting to continue a decades-long connection to champion trainer Chris Waller and an opportunity to build new relationships with stables that race for prize money that is leaving other countries behind.

In Ireland and the UK, Bosma has tapped into the rapid but unsurprising emergence of Joseph O’Brien, a trainer he affectionately calls “Baby Jesus” simply because his father, Aidan, is a god-like figure in that part of the world.

O’Brien’s horsemanship is complemented by Stuart Boman, the ex-pat who has made a name for himself in the northern hemisphere bloodstock industry as an agent with an eye for a horse who will adapt and thrive under Australian racing conditions.

Bosma started the week in the headlines and he reckons there is every chance it could finish the same way with two horses that interconnect and underline the expansion of his New Zealand-based syndication business Go Racing.

Go Racing will have two key runners at Eagle Farm in Maison Louis and Etna Rosso.

They represent the new guard racing for the syndicator after he farewelled the outstanding mare Atishu with a $2.7 million auction windfall at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

The winner of three Group 1 races, Atishu went under the hammer 12 months after Waller suggested 2024 sale plans should be shelved for the sake of another season of racing.

Bosma has known Waller since racing horses out of the trainer’s stable at Foxton in New Zealand when it made barely a ripple in Australasian racing.

Now, on a course to rewrite as many training records as he wants to, Waller’s advice was impossible to ignore.

“The guys made a call, we were going to sell her last year and we balanced it up,” Bosma told The Straight.

“We appreciated that she might lose a million dollars in value as a broodmare by racing her on for another year.

“But we felt in talking to Chris that she was capable of another Group 1 win and she could win that million dollars and more on the track.”

Atishu delivered, adding a further $1.5 million to her earnings with a good portion of that coming via her success in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington.

“It’s been a good decision both financially and emotionally for the owners,” Bosma said.

“We’ve had a number of Group 1 winners but Atishu has certainly been the highest-profile. 

“When she won the Mackinnon (Champions Stakes) last year, she was the only southern hemisphere-bred horse in the field. That shows how good she had to be to continue to compete season after season at the top.”

Bosma will switch his focus to the racetrack on Saturday when Maison Louis runs in the Queensland Derby and imported stayer Etna Rosso finishes off a Brisbane Cup preparation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Learn more

There is a symmetry between Atishu’s departure and Maison Louis’ arrival on the Group 1 stage that can be traced to the influence of the esteemed New Zealand breeding operation Waikato Stud.

Atishu is the daughter of Waikato resident Savabeel, a signature stallion for the nursery. 

Waikato is also home to Maison Louis’ sire Super Seth, anointed as an heir apparent to Savabeel with three Group 1 winners from his first two crops of foals.

It’s Go time as NZ investors aim to match strides with racing powerhouse

The signs are already there of a transformation in the confidence of investors and owners in the New Zealand thoroughbred industry, according to leading syndicator Go Racing.

The StraightJessica Owers

Maison Louis cost $250,000 as a Karaka yearling, well above the average price paid for a Super Seth at the 2023 sale, and the colt took longer to syndicate than most.

But Bosma says it wasn’t hard to work out why Waikato had put its faith in the Caulfield Guineas winner because Maison Louis presented with the looks and conformation to support a rich maternal pedigree.

“Waikato don’t get it wrong too often with their stallions,” he said. “They’re very, very good breeders … you know they’re just going to get it right.”

The three-year-old has been slow to learn his craft but has answered every call in his first racing campaign with three wins from six starts on the way to the Derby for co-trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.

Etna Rosso, who contests the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, found his way to Waller’s yard as a pioneer for Go Racing’s venture into northern hemisphere racing.

Under O’Brien, Etna Rosso made it to Royal Ascot in 2023 and finished fifth in the Queen’s Vase before coming to Australia in a blueprint for sourcing European horses at a more affordable rate.

“We’re buying them as yearlings but we might buy a breeze-up horse as well,” Bosma said.

“You do need to race them up there first as a young horse, as a two or three-year-old because they lose six months (in age difference) coming down here and getting off the plane.

“Our owners get to race them up there for their classic seasons and then they come down and hopefully they’re good enough to get to the Cups races 

“I love that tried horse market though, particularly the Tattersalls sale but it’s worked over so much that it can be very difficult to get value out of.”

Know More

Etna Rosso has been an instant success, winning last year’s Newcastle Gold Cup and Bosma is looking forward to an increased Go Racing presence at Royal Ascot this year with at least two runners as a partnership with O’Brien gathers momentum.

“We started off with Joseph three years ago. He’s a remarkable trainer,” Bosma said.

“I mean, by the age of 28 to win two Melbourne Cups and a Cox Plate from the other side of the world, you’ve got to be something special.”