By Chris Roots
Australian Bloodstock boss Jamie Lovett is ready to give up the Sydney autumn with Tosen Stardom to run in next month's Hong Kong International Mile, if he can complete the Toorak Handicap-Kennedy Mile double at Flemington on Saturday.
The son of Deep Impact will almost certainly be at stud this time next year and an International win would make him a lot more attractive to studs around the world.
However, if he goes to Hong Kong, Tosen Stardom would have to return to New Zealand and serve a 180-day quarantine period there because of a government ruling that horses coming back from the racing mecca can't come straight into Australia.
"It is a catch-22 really if he was to win on Saturday, you'd like to take on the Doncaster, but Hong Kong in many ways will increase his value more as a stallion should he win there," Lovett said. "We still have to talk to the Japanese owners but I can see it maybe even being more attractive to breeders up there [in Japan] because he is group 1-placed at 1400 metres and a group 1 mile winner now.
Big impact: Tosen Stardom takes the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.Credit: AAP
"There are not that many Deep Impact stallions with that speed profile.
"We are talking with a couple of stud at the moment but we want to get his racing over and done with in the spring before deciding what to do."
Since joining the Darren Weir team last year, Tosen Stardom has had eight starts, breaking through in the Toorak Handicap after group 1 and group 2 seconds in the autumn and a third behind Vega Magic in the Memsie Stakes at the start of the spring.
"We thought we were getting a group 1 horse and he had some near misses, but it was good to see him finally get the job done at Caulfield," Lovett said.
"It was a strong win and I think the bigger straight on Saturday will suit him better.
"He really likes Flemington and if he wins we would have a decision to make. He could go back to New Zealand and race in a couple of group 1s there if we decided to take him to Hong Kong. There are other international races as well.
"We bought him to do this and if you look at the limited number of sons of Deep Impact that have raced in Australia, they have done really well.
"Real Impact won a Ryder and was second in the Doncaster and I think you are going to find the influence of Deep Impact is only getting bigger in coming years."
Tosen Stardom is the $5 favourite for the Kennedy Mile and is one of two runners for the Weir stable, which also backs up Lucky Hussler from his Crystal Mile win at Moonee Valley last week.
Chris Waller will saddle up six in the race, including Tom Melbourne, Egg Tart and Omei Sword.
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