Five times a winner already this year, the Ollie Sangster-trained gelding will take his chance in the Group 3 John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes on Saturday, 4th October.
The three-year-old’s participation in the sprint feature will be a day to remember for his 18 owners who paid little more than £2,000 for a 5% share in the son of Belardo, who was bought at the Goffs Orby Book 2 sale as a yearling. Since then he’s won over £85,000, scoring three times on the All-Weather last winter before completing a rare Racing League double at Yarmouth and Newcastle.
“He’s improved to a rating of 93 following those high profile wins so deserves to take his chance at a higher level, particularly if the ground comes up soft, which he loves,” says Pompey Ventures founder Owen Haly.
“It’s been a long season but he’s so tough it’s ridiculous so I’m sure he won’t let his owners down on Saturday,” he adds. “After that we may head to York for the valuable Coral Sprint the following weekend.”
Tuco Salamanca’s owners include Tomas Polley and Connor Bettles, who had never experienced racehorse ownership until joining Pompey Ventures. Not only do they part-own the gelding but also had the honour of naming him.
Among his other owners is Doncaster based Bryn Close, who breeds racing falcons for the Middle East and also plans to be trackside at the weekend. “Bryn and everyone else involved in the horse have had a great year but are all hoping there’s more to come,” adds Owen.
He set up Pompey Ventures with business partner Zach Massingham only two years ago and now the company has 20 horses in training, including yearlings purchased at the recent sales in the UK and Ireland.
“We’ve always been involved in ownership but wanted to create something that more people could enjoy,” explains Owen, a football fan whose beloved Portsmouth inspired the syndicate name.
“Dave Byrne, who found Tuco, sources our horses which are trained by some of the best trainers in the country – Ollie Sangster, George Boughey, Karl Burke, Eve Johnson Houghton and James Owen. Having them on our team is such an advantage.
“It all began with Bob Mali who won his first three races for Ollie who has also enjoyed success with our two-year-old Dublin Bay – a back-to-back winner at Ffos Las and Doncaster this year,” adds Owen.
Pompey Ventures almost made the perfect start to the new Flat season when the Boughey-trained Oliver Show was denied victory in the famous Lincoln Handicap in the final stride. He also finished second in a Listed race in Bahrain. Meanwhile, the Burke-trained Media Shooter won for the third time this year when taking the Musselburgh Gold Cup in August to boost his official rating by a stone.
“Our aim is to have a Group winner and it would be fantastic if Tuco Salamanca could achieve that as he’s been such a great horse for us this year. As long as it’s soft at Ascot be is capable of running a big race, despite his big odds,” adds Owen.
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