Ventura Storm (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), winner of the G1 Premio Del Jockey Club Oct. 16 for Middleham Park Racing and trainer Richard Hannon, has been bought by Astute Bloodstock and will continue his racing career in Australia with trainers David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig.
Winner of the nine-furlong Listed Feilden S. in April, Ventura Storm went winless in three outings at the group level, including a 12th in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club, but bounced back in the summer to take the Listed Glasgow S. over 11 furlongs and the 12-furlong G3 Prix de Reux. He finished second in the G1 Ladbrokes St. Leger Sept. 10 before venturing to Italy to take the Jockey Club.
Middleham Park's syndicate manager Tim Palin said, “David Hayes will be his trainer and he has been purchased by Astute Bloodstock. I think they are buying him with the Melbourne Cup in mind. He does strike you as a horse that is almost tailor-made for that. He stays well and has got a rating that would commensurate him getting in the race off a nice weight. If he improves as a 4-year-old and a 5-year-old I can see him putting up big shows in races like that over the next year or two.”
“Obviously he's in the form of his life and at the peak of his powers, but when a big operation comes knocking with a very hefty offer you have to sit up and take notice,” Palin added. “After quite a lot of deliberation, the owners have decided it might be a prudent time to sell him on and we wish the new owners and his new trainer the very best of luck.”
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