Monday, 6 August 2012:
A boutique Australian racing operation says a campaign aimed at claiming France's greatest race is almost certain to win out over the Melbourne Cup for its latest success story, the German Oaks winner Salomina.
Australian Bloodstock's Luke Murrell and his business partner Jamie Lovett on Monday were still trying to deal with the reality of Salomina becoming one of the favourites to win this year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after her comprehensive Oaks victory.
Murrell and Lovett already manage two serious Cups contenders in German imports Lucas Cranach and Mawingo and it's this potent spring hand which is likely to keep Salomina in Europe.
"She is second favourite for the Arc now and as much as we'd like to bring her down here for a Caulfield or a Melbourne Cup, we believe we have already got the horses in Lucas Cranach and Mawingo for those races," Murrell told AAP.
"She would be handicapped as a four-year-old in our Cups whereas as a three-year-old she gets weight relief in the Arc.
"And three-year-old fillies have such a terrific record in the race."
Murrell said a race like the Japan Cup could not be ruled out after the Arc, meaning Australian Bloodstock's silks could be represented in the three of the world's richest races before the end of 2012.
"We paid a lot of money for her at the stage where she was at but it's not a lot now when you are looking at an Arc and Japan Cup preparation," Murrell said.
"Jamie and I joked about (such a campaign) because we knew she was good without knowing how good."
Because she hails from the same stable and is by Lomitas, the same sire as last year's Arc winner, Murrell said Europe's racing media were quick to make a comparison between Danedream and Salomina.
"According to the trainer (Peter Schiergen) she is more advanced than Danedream at the same stage of their careers," Murrell said.
"That's not to say she is going to turn out better. But I'm a firm believer horses only improve in their second preparation and she is still in her first."
Murrell said he used funds from the stud sale of TJ Smith Stakes winner Master Of Design to secure Salomina.
"We parlayed what we made out of Master Of Design into the filly," he said. "If she had broken down she would have been a very expensive horse."
