Maher-Eustace talent-spotter Will Bourne forging own identity
He might only be 29, but Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s bloodstock manager, Will Bourne, certainly knows how to pick out talented young horses.
His name was deservedly mentioned after Coolangatta’s courageous 1/5-length win in the $1 million Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley last Friday night.
It was Bourne who saw great value in the now three-year-old filly, making the clever $280,000 purchase at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
And what a year it has been for her, also winning the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic over 1200m on January 15.
In both those victories, she has shown great mental fortitude to hold on and prevail.
The star sprinter edged out Russian Conquest on the Gold Coast, before her outstanding finish kept stablemate Bella Nipotina in the runner-up position last Friday night.
“Twice now – in the Magic Millions and in the Group 1 on Friday night a horse has loomed, but she’s kicked back and won both of those races through sheer will,” Bourne told HorseBetting.com.au.
“She seems to find a way to win, especially when Russian Conquest loomed up and looked like she had her.
“And then Bella Nipotina made a big surging run and looked like she’d come up over the top.
“But she’s tough enough and has enough of a will to find a way to win.”
Along with being impressed by her fighting qualities, Bourne saw a natural athlete when he first spotted Coolangatta at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale last year.
“She had a great girth. I did some research the night before the sale,” he said.
“She’s by a proven stallion, Written Tycoon. She was in the ring at $250,000 to $280,000.
“When you’re bidding around that and you throw your hand up and get her for $280,000 by a proven stallion, I thought she was value.
“By no means was she a horse where I thought if she’s gets up to $800,000 that we’re not walking away without her.
“We probably don’t own her at $500,000 – we probably own her at $350,000 to $400,000, and we paid a lot more for a lot more yearlings that year.
“She was just one I liked. Her strength was her girth and she had really good breeding.
“The average at that sale was $240,000, and we were buying a nice filly by a proven stallion for $280,000.”
Bourne could well have made another shrewd purchase after recently returning to Melbourne from the US.
The 29-year-old went to Keeneland, Kentucky, and came away with a lovely Curlin-Bounding filly.
Bounding was a champion New Zealand sprinter by Lonhro, and Curlin was the 2007 and 2008 American Horse of the Year.
Purchased from the draft of Denali Stud, which was offering the filly on behalf of Stonestreet Farm, Bourne paid US$250,000 (approx. A$362,740) to buy the yearling.
“She’s a lovely filly, and again a filly we thought was great value,” he said.
“She’s Curlin out of Bounding, who was a Group 1-winning filly herself.
“She should hold her value quite well, and at that money it wasn’t too much damage.”
Maher is known to think outside the square and his method is proven, combining for 27 Group 1 wins alongside Eustace.
The stable is keen to continue looking at US horses after this venture.
“We’ll be looking at investing in America, for sure,” Bourne said.
“There are great breeding and bloodlines over there which you just can’t ignore.
“The bridge is closing. Australians are racing in America, and Americans are racing in Australia.
“It’s healthy for the whole industry.”
Bourne enjoyed his time at the largest and most prominent auction house in the world.
And at 29, he said anyone who wants to forge a similar career path should embrace any experience they get abroad.
“I love America. I spent a bit of time there when I was working for Godolphin,” he said.
“And when you’re in Kentucky in September it’s a beautiful time of the year.
“(My advice is) just work as many places as you can around the world.
“The bloodstock and racing industry is very worldly and everything seems to be intertwined.
“The links between Europe, America and Australia are getting closer.
“I’m very grateful for my job and the opportunities I have, and to have owners who trust me.”
As for Saturday, Bourne is looking forward to seeing stallion Interpretation in the $750,000 Bart Cummings (2510m) and mare Swats That in the $300,000 Gilgai Stakes (1200m).
Both features will be at Flemington.
Interpretation is the $4.50 favourite with online bookies, while Swats That is also the $6 favourite.
Bourne has a high opinion of Swats That and feels she offers good value to punters.
He was impressed with her third placing first-up in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m), finishing less than a length behind Tony Gollan’s winner, Baller, on September 10.
“We have Interpretation in the Bart Cummings. He needs to win that to get into the Melbourne Cup,” Bourne said.
“So we’re very focused on that race.
“And we’ve got a mare called Swats That going around in the Gilgai.
“She ran great first-up, so we’re hoping to see some improvement from her second-up.”