TUILERIES (So You Think) and TOURISTIC (Frankel) landed stakes victories on Friday (G3 Newcastle Stakes) and Sunday (LR Canberra Cup) respectively.
Purchased in 2023, TUILERIES was secured as a yearling with Snowden Racing for A$360,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Raised and sold by Bhima Thoroughbreds, her breeder GSA Bloodstock retained equity at the fall of the hammer and now races in the familiar red and white stripes.
After putting together two wins leading into the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas in 2025, TUILERIES started favourite but from a wide draw settled back and finished a credible seventh.
Soon after returning to Sydney, the stable discovered an eye ulcer which developed into a fungal infection, ultimately requiring serious surgery to save her eye.
Fast forward thirteen months and TUILERIES is now a Group Three winner and Group Two placed daughter of SO YOU THINK (High Chaparral) out of the BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) mare HEDIARD.
With the Queensland Winter Carnival in mind, she will now head towards the G3 Hawkesbury Crown in early May. She is part owned by WJB’s ‘Elated Bloodstock’.
From a yearling purchase to a privately sourced European horse in training…
During the winter of 2023 when mornings in Sydney aren’t quite as sparkling as St Tropez, discussions with French agent Ghislain Bozo presented the opportunity to purchase the stakes-placed FRANKEL (Galileo) colt TOURISTIC from owner-breeders WERTHEIMER & FRERE.
Three years on and nearly A$800,000 in prizemoney later, TOURISTIC, whilst not a world beater, is now a dual stakes winner in Australia and has provided the ownership group with plenty of fun days at the races.
Maintaining a mixed portfolio of yearlings and tried European horses has clear advantages.
You cannot dream of winning a Golden Slipper or Caulfield Guineas without exposure to the yearling market.
But two seasons down the track, when middle-distance competition intensifies, a proven European horse can offer confidence that they will measure up.
With a weak Australian Dollar through 2025 and strong competition from the Middle East and the United States – buying quality horses at 2023 levels proved difficult.
However, with the AUD now strengthening against all major currencies and turmoil in the Middle East unravelling, 2026 could present the opportunity for WJB to re-enter the European market with another jurisdiction also on the radar…
