DARBY RACING SECURES TWO EX GODOLPHIN PROSPECTS
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Darby Racing 3.9.2026
Darby Racing has again been active in the tried horse market, securing two quality racing prospects from Godolphin through the latest Magic Millions Digital Sale, headed by $165,000 sale topper Zebra Finch.
The four year old Zebra Finch, a son of champion sire Exceed And Excel, was one of the most sought after horses in the catalogue, attracting 54 bids and significant competition from buyers in both Australia and Hong Kong before Darby Racing secured him for $165,000.
Zebra Finch comes to us as a proven city class galloper with three wins and four placings from 14 starts, including two victories from his past three starts. He won at Sandown before producing an impressive last start victory at Bendigo, giving us plenty of confidence there is more improvement to come.
He will now head to the Bjorn Baker stable at Warwick Farm, where we believe he is an ideal horse to continue progressing through the Sydney grades.
Make an enquiry on this horse - https://darbyracing.wufoo.com/forms/zebra-finch-city-class
MATIMA JOINS THE TEAM
We were also delighted to secure fellow Godolphin offering Matima, a four year old gelding by the great Lonhro, for just $9,500.
Matima is already a race winner, having won on debut as a three year old, and showed recently that he still has plenty to offer with a second placing at Kembla Grange two starts ago.
At that price point, we felt he represented an excellent opportunity to purchase a lightly raced horse from one of the world's premier racing operations.
Matima will head to Luke Pepper, marking the first horse Darby Racing has syndicated with Luke, and we're really looking forward to developing that relationship.
Make an enquiry on this horse - https://darbyracing.wufoo.com/forms/matima-by-lonhro
A FORMULA THAT HAS WORKED BEFORE
Buying tried horses through the digital sales has become an increasingly important part of the Darby Racing operation.
We aren't simply looking to buy horses that are already at their peak. The challenge is identifying horses we believe still have improvement ahead of them and then placing them into an environment where they can take the next step.
We've had some outstanding results doing exactly that.
Group 1 Newmarket Handicap winner Caballus was purchased through an online sale for $315,000 when he had earned around $120,000 in prizemoney. Since joining Darby Racing, he has won another six races and earned more than $2.2 million in additional prizemoney.
Robusto was another digital purchase, secured for $160,000 before going on to earn approximately $2 million, highlighted by victory in the Group 2 The Ingham.
Those horses AND MANY, MANY OTHERS, demonstrate exactly what can be achieved when you can identify the right tried horse at the right time.
We're certainly not suggesting Zebra Finch or Matima have to reach those heights, but both fitted the profile we look for, horses with ability, good foundations and, most importantly, the potential to improve.
To be able to purchase two horses directly from the Godolphin draft is another big positive. Both have come through one of the world's great racing operations and arrive with an excellent grounding.
Zebra Finch to Bjorn Baker, Matima to Luke Pepper.
Two new additions to the Darby Racing team, two very different price points, and hopefully plenty of racing ahead.
We can't wait to get them into their new stables and see where they can take us.
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