Small-time player Sousa enjoys success at Tattersalls with trusted partners
Russian Camilla makes 300,000 guineas in astute trade by Australia-based syndicate
To many, Roger Sousa may not be a recognisable name, but his growing Platinum Breeding and Racing operation has already made an impact in bloodstock circles and the Sydneysider has big plans for that to continue.
Sousa has experienced the ultimate success with Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom), a two-year-old stakes winner in Japan who won a Futurity Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) and Manikato Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) in Australia, and has has breeding interests in 2014 Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Protectionist (Monsun).
On Tuesday night, the owner and breeder also enjoyed a big return on his investment in Russian Camilla (Camelot), the sister to Australia’s northern hemisphere-bred dual Group 1 winner Russian Camelot, who made 300,000gns (approx. AUD$571,000) at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in the UK.
The figure was a significant return on what Sousa and his syndicate partners, agents Johnny McKeever and Dave Mee, and form analyst and ratings guru Shannon Evans paid for the now two-year-old filly late last year.
“The whole team set the alarm and we were watching the sale eagerly,” Sousa said yesterday.
“We had a lot of interest leading up to the sale and, after her first race when she did so well, we knew that we were onto a good thing.
“We were just so happy and we couldn’t wish for anything better. It all just panned out.”
Russian Camilla, who unleashed a startling finish to score an unlikely victory at Kempton in November for trainer Sylvester Kirk, was bought by Oceanic Bloodstock’s Michel Zerolo on behalf of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm.
She will now be sent to France where she will be trained by Jean-Claude Rouget.
Russian Camilla, who was bought privately by the syndicate after being inspected at Kirk’s Lambourn stables by McKeever on Boxing Day last year, came under notice from agents and owners in both hemispheres after her last-to-first Kempton win last month, but the partnership elected to sell her publicly.
“It is the sort of thing where you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t as you just never know what can happen at a public auction,” Sousa said.
“We did knock back some offers prior to the auction, but we knew we had the right product and were ticking the right boxes.
“We were fairly confident and it was just a matter of how much someone was going to pay.”
Sousa’s Platinum Breeding and Racing currently has about ten mares and foals as well as another ten yearlings heading to the 2021 sales around the country. He considers his partners Mee and Evans, and McKeever in Russian Camilla’s instance, as close friends as well as trusted advisers and believes that is part of his success.
“We have a team where everyone knows their role. Shannon does the form work and analyses the sectionals and all those sorts of things,” he said.
“He generally identifies them and then the process starts from there. I have confidence in the team and I don’t need much convincing if the numbers are there and everything works in our favour, I am confident to go ahead with it because I trust these guys.”
While Sousa, who established his own real estate agency aged just 19 before selling it and turning to financial planning, enjoys his relative anonymity in racing and breeding circles, he does have aspirations to increase his level of involvement, albeit gradually.
“At the moment, people obviously don’t know me and that’s fine – there’s a lot of people I don’t know either as our paths haven’t crossed yet, but there’s room for everyone,” he said, describing himself as a ‘small player’.
“You can be small, medium or big. It’s an exciting industry. You’re going to have your ups and downs, but it’s a matter of also being there for the long-term by not going in too heavy at the start and letting it play out smoothly by being a bit diversified with your stock.”
He added: “It’s about patience and meeting the right people and being around the right people for guidance. We have a system in place and we all abide by it and we trust each other’s judgment.
“Everyone’s got a different expertise that you can learn from. There’s a lot of guys out there who devote a lot of their time to opening your eyes about the industry. It’s a fun industry – there’s a lot of opportunities and there’s room for many of us to participate.”
Meanwhile, Winning Ways (Declaration Of War), who won the 2019 Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) for trainer Garry Newham and late owner Paul Makin, was passed in on day two for 700,000gns (approx. AUD$1,330,300). The five-year-old mare, who won eight of her 18 starts in Australia, was offered in foal to Kingman (Invincible Spirit) by Genesis Green Stud.
Also, Tashaarok (Invincible Spirit), who was being offered in foal to Night Of Thunder (Dubawi) to southern hemisphere time, was also passed in by vendor Tinnakill House for 100,000gns (approx. AUD$190,000).
Rosemont Stud, who last week went to $410,000 to secure Small Minds (Canny Lad) out of the Inglis Digital November (Late) Online auction, bought Promise Of Success (Dansili) for 27,000gns (approx. AUD$51,500) at Tattersalls on Tuesday.
Purchased in conjunction with David Redvers Bloodstock, the placed four-year-old is out of a winning daughter of Newbury Listed scorer Measured Tempo (Sadler’s Wells) from the family of Prix du Jockey Club (Gr 1, 2400m) victor Anabaa Blue (Anabaa).
The Gnarwarre-based farm had also been active during Monday’s opening session, landing
Marietta Robusti (Equiano) with a bid of 49,000gns (approx. AUD$93,000).
The five-year-old, a five-time winner, is a half-sister to the Listed winner and Group 2-placed Three Sea Captains (Choisir) as well as the dam of this year’s Molecomb Stakes (Gr 3, 5f) scorer Steel Bull (Clodovil).
Respected New Zealand agent Paul Willetts also got a piece of Tuesday’s action when he went to 65,000gns (approx. AUD$123,500) to secure the winning Frankel (Galileo) five-year-old Sing A Rainbow.
A half-sister to Sandown Group 3 winner and Group 1-performed Lavender’s Blue (Sea The Stars), Sing A Rainbow is out of Prix Chloe (Gr 3, 1800m) winner Beatrice Aurore (Danehill Dancer).
A report on the top lots sold on day two of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale can be found in today’s International Sales News.