Tamblyn’s gamblin’ looks set to pay off with investment in Profiteer’s sister
North Queensland bookie, punter and engineer Dalan Tamblyn is hoping an educated gamble made in January to buy into a yearling sister to a colt by then first season sire Capitalist (Written Tycoon) who had caught his eye at Flemington can make her own impression on the racetrack.
The colt in question was the Mick Price and Mick Kent Jnr-trained Profiteer (Capitalist), now a valuable stallion prospect having gone on to win the Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m) by five and a quarter lengths and at Flemington during the recent spring carnival.
At the time, however, Profiteer was just another colt with one start, albeit an impressive one, to his name, having been successful in a slick time over 1100 metres at Flemington last December.
Townsville resident Tamblyn, who enjoyed stakes success with his homebred gelding Tambo’s Mate (Mossman) in the Recognition Stakes (Listed, 1350m) at Doomben on Saturday, was taken by the performance and when Laurel Oak Bloodstock’s Louis Mihalyka bought the year-younger sister at the Magic Millions sale for $375,000 the following month he immediately bought into the filly, later to be named Asteria.
Trained by Mark Newnham and to wear the Laurel Oak silks of white, green crossed sashes, red sleeves and cap, Asteria is scheduled to have her first barrier trial at Randwick this morning.
Tamblyn told ANZ Bloodstock News Mihalyka’s physical assessment of the filly, on the back of what he had already seen from Profiteer, convinced him he had to be involved.
“Firstly, Louis bought her; secondly, I knew the Brain (pedigree) rating was high and, thirdly, I am a very regular and experienced gambler and form analyst, so buying into her was my way of backing my eye on Profiteer’s win,” Tamblyn said.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to trust your eye … and I just thought he could go on with something there. I was happy with the price and I just thought there could be some value-add to the filly through Profiteer.”
Asteria will contest the first of three two-year-old barrier trials of the Randwick session over 740 metres, which also sees the return of ATC Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 3, 1000m) winner and short-priced Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m) favourite Coolangatta (Written Tycoon) in a 1050-metre heat against older horses earlier on the card.
Whether Asteria, the second foal out of the S F Bloodstock-owned Athena Lass (Snitzel), can make it to the Gold Coast for the $2 million race in January remains to be seen, but Tamblyn said early reports from Newnham have been encouraging.
“She’s not slow, we already know that. We think she’s a little bit Profiteer, a jump and run horse,” said Tamblyn, who also has shares in the Newnham-trained, Laurel Oak-managed three-year-old filly Chenin (Pierro), the younger sister to dual Group 1-winning three-year-old Shadow Hero.
This morning’s Sydney barrier trial session is a prelude to a big weekend of two-year-old racing in which the Phelan Ready Stakes (Listed, 1000m) and Calaway Gal Stakes (Listed, 1000m) are run at Eagle Farm on Saturday, key lead-up races to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1200m), and the $400,000 Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) will be held at Randwick.
The Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic (RL, 1100m) will also be run a week tomorrow, December 15.
In the same heat as Asteria (heat nine) is Dancing Alone (I Am Invincible), a $1.4 million filly bought by trainer Bryce Heys’ Ellerslie Lodge, as well as the third foal of stakes-winning mare Gregers (Commands), the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained filly McCann (Snitzel). Heat ten features Sandy Tait’s homebred filly Whisker To Whisker (Pierro), herself a daughter of four-time Group-winning mare Zanbagh (Bernardini). Whisker To Whisker is trained by John Thompson.
While anticipating a bright future for Asteria, Tamblyn also had cause for reflection on his brave gelding Tambo’s Mate, who was diagnosed with a fractured sesamoid as a yearling and given a slim chance of ever making the racetrack by veterinarians.
On Saturday, the six-year-old took his record to 11 wins from 28 starts and prize-money beyond $700,000. It was also memorable for another reason, with Tamblyn on track to witness the victory.
“I was at the racetrack and it was the first time I have seen a horse of mine win in the city live. I’d have had approaching 30 metro winners, Tambo’s Mate has won 11, and I am probably approaching 300 wins as an owner,” he said.
“I’ve gone to Brisbane, I’ve gone to Sydney, they’ve started favourite, and they’ve even been called the winner, but this is the first time I’ve ever been at the track and collected the trophy. It was a huge thrill.”
Tamblyn will be offering Tambo’s Mate’s half-sister, by Epaulette (Commands), as Lot 942 in Book 2 of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January. She is being consigned by Toolooganvale Farm.