Classic-placed Southern France sold to Australia as Melbourne Cup bid looms

St Leger third Southern France has been sold by Coolmore to a group of prominent Australian owners, with the four-year-old son of Galileo due to be prepared for a tilt at the lucrative Melbourne Cup by Ciaron Maher and training partner David Eustace.

Bred by Lynch-Bages and Rhinestone Bloodstock, Southern France has proved himself a classy and consistent performer for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners, having won three races and finishing out of the frame just twice from 13 starts.

He was last seen beating Downdraft in the Group 3 Comer Group International Irish St Leger Trial Stakes, and is due to contest the Irish Classic itself before heading to the southern hemisphere to continue his racing career.

The deal was brokered by Johnny McKeever of McKeever Bloodstock and Chris Blomeley.

"Darren Dance of Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock had been looking up here for a horse for the Melbourne Cup; we've bought him horses like Heartbreak City and Tiberian before," said McKeever.

"He went into partnership with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace to search for a horse. They identified Southern France as one of the key horses and asked for my help brokering the deal. He's going to run for a partnership including Halo Racing Services, Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock and some of Ciaron Maher's stable patrons."

Johnny McKeever: 'There's not many horses around who fit the bill'Credit: Laura Green

Southern France has also won a Listed contest and boasts some strong form in defeat, notably when third to Kew Gardens in last year's St Leger and when runner-up to champion stayer Stradivarius in the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup.

"I inspected the horse earlier in the year so we had him earmarked before he ran in the Irish St Leger Trial, and when he won that race that really confirmed he was the horse they wanted," added McKeever. "His form has been up with all those good stayers in Britain and Ireland.

"He's remaining under Aidan O'Brien's care and will run in the Irish St Leger. After that he'll be sent to quarantine ahead of shipment to Australia."

McKeever was unable to reveal the sums involved in purchasing such a high-class prospect, but noted the market for Melbourne Cup contenders is "extremely competitive".

"There aren't many horses around who fit the bill, those types who'll get into the Melbourne Cup off a high rating," he said, "but the market around the ones who are available for purchase is extremely competitive."

European horses have built up an enviable record in recent editions of the Melbourne Cup, with the last three winners - Cross Counter, Rekindling and Almandin - all hailing from the northern hemisphere.

Southern France is not the only high-profile horse set to leave Ballydoyle to continue his career in Australia as the Lindsay Park Racing team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig are due to take charge of Cape Of Good Hope, the brother to Highland Reel, and Constantinople.

"David believes Cape Of Good Hope can come to Australia and be targeted at Group 1 events such as the Caulfield Stakes, Cox Plate and Mackinnon Stakes in the spring, as well as the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the autumn," said Jason Timperley, Lindsay Park Racing's bloodstock manager.

"With a victory in any of these races he propels himself into the profile of a commercial stallion in Australia."

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