Dion Luciani farewelled stable star Oscar’s Fortune earlier this month and finding a likely replacement among his latest 2yo crop began on Monday when Rommel colt Morf won a barrier trial at Belmont.

Morf was sold by Ridgeport Holdings for $60,000 at the 2024 Perth Magic Millions to a partnership managed by Kalgoorlie owner Andrew Inglis.  He’s bred to make the grade being out of a half-sister to Battle Hero (Stratum) who won to Group 3 level in a Roma Cup (1200m) and Northam Sprint (1100m).

His dam From Fromm (Big Brown) was bred by Peters Investments and was purchased by Ridgeport owner Santo Guagliardo for $12,000 at the 2019 Perth Magic Millions.  She retired unraced and foaled another Rommel colt a year after Morf.

Rommel also sired Lark Hill 2yo trial winner Maythisbetheone in September before trainer David Harrison sent him out for a spell.

Oscar’s Fortune (Rich Enuff) is now based in Victoria and finished sixth first-up for trainer Gavin Bedggood in the LR Century Stakes (1000m) at Flemington last Thursday.  “He’s done well since arriving here,” Bedggood said.  “And it was obvious he was well looked after where he came from in WA.”

Loloma Farms owner Kevin Fowler had purchased Oscar’s Fortune for $5,500 as a yearling at the Inglis 2021 December Digital Sale and he’s returned $1,189,000 to date.

Fowler also bought his dam Oscar Award (Sebring) for $17,000 at the same sale and made another tidy profit when selling her for $220,000 at the Inglis November Digital Sale last week.

Oscar Award was offered in foal to Capitalist by Davali Thoroughbreds (as agent) and was purchased by Allam Racing.  “I haven’t spoken to Kevin yet but it’s good to meet the market and we wish Steve and Dan (Allam) the best of luck with her,” Davali’s Alison Hush said.  “They have a lovely, boutique band of stakes-performed and stakes-producing mares so Oscar Award fits that mould perfectly.”