Having been part of the ownership that won the race that stops the nation in 2021 with superstar mare, Verry Elleegant, the prominent Melbourne based ownership group – headed up by Ozzie Kheir – is aiming to repeat the dose this November with exciting Melbourne Cup hopeful, Loft.
Kheir and co. are joined by Hong Kong’s Edmond Lee in racing the up and coming German stayer after he was secured in a deal brokered by Group 1 Bloodstock’s Mathew Becker.
A Group 2 winner in his only two starts this year – in Europe and North America and both over 3200m! – Loft will be trained in Australia by Ben and JD Hayes with the Melbourne Cup specifically in mind.
Driven by last year’s success with Verry Elleegant, Ozzie Kheir wasn’t holding back about the prospects of his recent acquisition: “It’s well documented that I have passion for winning major spring carnival races, in particular the Melbourne Cup. We are blessed to have one of the best carnivals In the world in our own back yard and I’m just so thrilled to be able to team up with Mr Lee in racing Loft. It's only July and the excitement Is building.
"I am under no illusions … unless you're part of Team Williams where winning Melbourne Cups has become the norm in recent years, the odds of winning it in 2022 might be stacked against us, but we will sure have a crack at it.
“The enjoyment of winning the Cup last year and sharing it with fellow owners, friends and family is something I'll never forget. But now the challenge starts over and this time I hope we can be standing on the winners dais with Mr Lee and holding that iconic Cup. With Loft, we reckon we have the right horse to win the race, that's for sure!”
Ozzie’s excitement is shared by Mathew Becker, who points out that Loft has been on his radar for quite some time.
“We are delighted at the chance to race a horse like Loft in Australia and over the moon to secure him for Ozzie and his team, along with Mr Lee,” Mathew Becker enthused.
“Loft hasn’t finished out of a place in his eight starts since May last year and won a Group 2 in Germany when resuming in May before heading to North America where he took out the Group 2 Belmont Gold Cup. In fact, he hasn’t been out of the top three in anything over 2400m throughout his career and I genuinely believe we haven’t seen the best of him yet. He is by the late German sire Adlerflug whom we don’t know much about in this neck of the woods, but then again the German based Monsun wasn’t exactly a household name and he’s sired three of the last 10 Melbourne Cup winners.”
For further information phone Mathew Becker at Group 1 Bloodstock on 0409 501 223
