Waterhouse enters Japanese horse market
Waterhouse said it was under the advice of husband and leading bookmaker Robbie Waterhouse that she should make her way to Japan to test out the market.
Japanese stayers have been fairing well in Australia over the past few years, especially in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, and Waterhouse’s sights were set on a group of potential cups winning stayers.
Her first purchase, lot 175, was a colt by European champion and Group 1 Arc de Triomphe winner Bago out of Japanese winner Our Oasis.
The AUD $80,646 purchase was in association with noted bloodstock scout Paul Moroney and bloodstock agent Satomi Oka.
“We saw this colt and he just filled the eye,” Waterhouse said. “He moves very freely.
“Hopefully, we’ll win the Melbourne Cup with him in years to come.”
On the second day of the sale, Waterhouse and Oka bloodstock acquired five more horses, four colts and one filly.
Lot 235, a colt by Workforce, was purchased for AUD $218,000 and that kicked off a spending spree for Waterhouse, the 2013 Melbourne Cup winner with the imported Fiorente.
Her other purchases went for $251,000 and $360,000 before buying another couple of quick purchases at the end of the day.
“We have purchased Japanese bred progeny oozing quality and by sires that performed phenomenally at Group 1 middle distance races,” Waterhouse tweeted.
Her last purchase came at a high price of $338,000. The royally-bred filly by Group 1 winner Orferve is picked to win plenty of races and we can expect to it perform well in Australia.