Matt Cumani featured as a new name on the buyers list at the Magic Millions sale this week as the young Englishman builds his new Ballarat stable.
Buys this week include fillies by Bel Esprit ($170,000), Foxwedge ($105,000), Denman ($110,000) and Helmet ($130,000) and a colt from the first crop of Pierro ($230,000).
Cumani appears as the first name on the list after purchasing the first lot through the ring, a filly by Foxwedge.
“I went in early and got the Foxwedge filly and managed to get a colt by Pierro which I’m excited about. He’s a gorgeous horse,” Cumani said.
“I’m buying mainly on type, it’s always difficult to know with first season sires but Pierro was a fantastic racehorse and this horse is a beautiful mover,
“He was a real standout for me and looks the perfect sort to give me an early starter,”
Cumani paid $110,000 for a Denman half-sister to Group III winner Generalife.
“He (Generalife) won twice as a two-year-old and this filly looks an early type which is what I want. It would be nice to come back here for the race with her next year,
“The Foxwedge filly is another example of a sharp early type. She has been bought for a group of ladies and we hope to aim her at the Magic Millions bonus for the ladies syndicate,”
Cumani is enjoying life at Ballarat where he has 14 boxes.
“It’s a beautiful place to train,” Cumani said. “The locals tell me it can be a bit cold in winter but it can’t be any colder than Newmarket and I know how to train in those conditions,”
Cumani has been able to stock his barn with some proven older horses to prepare while educating the yearlings.
“I’ve been really fortunate, my family has supported me and Terry Henderson of OTI Racing has been fantastic,” Cumani said.
“OTI has sent me some horses from Europe which is fantastic and I bought some horses in Europe that we are in the process of syndicating here and the plan is to get the older horses up and running while we bring the young horses through,
“I also bought four horses at the Ready-To-Run sale in New Zealand last year,”
Cumani, whose father and grandfather have both trained European classic winners, said he considers himself lucky to have great family support.
“Francesca is fantastic, she loves it here and is really keen to help me out,” Cumani said.
“I’m very lucky to have that and now I have to prove myself. I know I have a huge advantage being her brother and my fathers son – hopefully I can carry on the family tradition.”