Lloyd Williams buys Alandi

You read it on The Breed first – one of Europe’s most exciting stayers Alandi has been bought by leading Melbourne owner Lloyd Williams.

Rumours swept Melbourne on Friday that the dual Group 1 winner will be trained by Lee Freedman, but Freedman has revealed that he has bought the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Doctor Fremantle (by Sadler’s Wells), who won the 2009 G3 Arc Trial at Newbury, and last season came fourth behind New Approach in the G1 Epsom Derby.

The John Oxx-trained Alandi, a son of Galileo boasts a record of eight starts for five wins and two seconds. He has won his last three starts, including the G1 Irish St Leger (2800m, The Curragh) in September and the G1 Prix du Cadran (4000m) at Longchamp on October 4.

Alandi, who was raced by The Aga Khan and comes from his “A” family, is out of the Darshaan mare Aliya, who was a winner ov er 2400m and is a sister to The Aga Khan’s disqualified French Oaks winner Aliysa (to a positive swab).

The breed’s Stephen Howell spoke to Freedman about his latest foray into Europe, but Freedman at that time refused to disclose the names of all his purchases.

FREEDMAN BUYS UP IN ENGLAND

Imported revelation Speed Gifted is out of this year’s Melbourne Cup, but trainer Lee Freedman already is looking to next year’s Cup – with Speed Gifted and new English purchases.

“We’ve been very active this week and bought another four horses,” Freedman, seven times Victorian champion and five times winner of the Melbourne Cup, told thethoroughbred.com.au today. “One will be a big surprise, a very good class horse.

“Badger (Freedman’s European-based bloodstock adviser Grant Pritchard-Gordon) was involved in pre-selection. John Walker (Freedman’s Melbourne vet) vetted them and Anthony (Lee’s brother) went over on Friday night and did the deals.”

Freedman said two horses were bought at the same sales as last year’s imports and two were bought privately.

Last year the stable put together a group of owners – managed by the Ball & Chain syndicate – and bought six horses at Tattersalls October sales at Newmarket. In the wash-up, Freedman also was given the former Luca Cumani-trained Speed Gifted to train by French owner Jean Marc Charmat.

Sales purchases to win in Australia have been Speed Gifted (three city wins, including the G1 Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick, from five starts), Sound Of Nature (at Sandown and Geelong, as well as running second in the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley on Saturday), Timetable (2), Trenchtown (2) and Woodcutter (1).

The sales website www.tattersalls.com listed the two public purchases as the geldings Fanjura, for 210,000 guineas (almost $395,000), and Ajhar, for 65,000 guineas (almost $122,000).

Fanjura – pictured –  (b g 2005, Marju (IRE)-Accelerating (USA), by Lear Fan (USA)), with four wins from 13 starts, was trained by Barry Hills; Ajhar (b g 2004, Diesis (GB)-Min Alhawa (USA), by Riverman (USA)) won 3-13 when trained by Marcus Tregoning for Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Three of Fanjura’s wins were in July-August at Sandown (2) and Ascot, all over 2000m. Ajhar’s latest win was over 2000m at Newmarket in August.

Freedman said he expected the horses to arrive in Australia early next year. The hope is that one or more can join Speed Gifted (b g 6, Montjeu (IRE)-Good Standing (USA), by Distant View (USA)) and one or more emerging three-year-olds already in the stable on a spring cups path.