Newcastle based Australian Bloodstock has purchased leading Caulfield and Melbourne Cup contender Lucas Cranach.

Lucas Cranach (4h Mamool – Lots Of Love by Java Gold) will be prepared by Anthony Freedman who recently took over as head trainer of the family business from his brother Lee.

“He will be a genuine contender for this year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cups,” said Australian Bloodstock Director Luke Murrell.  “We identified Lucas Cranach in Germany in July and he really is the ideal horse for the Cups.

“His extraordinary turn of foot has to be seen to be believed.  And he has so much upside after just seven starts and there’s a lot of top grade racing ahead of him.”

Lucas Cranach was widely quoted at as much as $101 with corporate bookmakers in early Cup markets and he has firmed into $31 during the last 48 hours.

Australian Bloodstock had its first Melbourne Cup runner when British trained Illustrious Blue was unplaced behind Americain last year.

Prior to being purchased by Australian Bloodstock, Lucas Cranach was trained in Dusseldorf by Sascha Smrczek.  He won the G2 Grosser Preis Von Lotto (2400m) in Hamburg in June this year and has Listed wins to his credit in France and Germany.

Anthony Freedman was only too happy to welcome the new owners and their gifted stayer into his stable.  “Obviously I’ve been very impressed by what I’ve seen on video.  I’m thrilled to have him in my stable so soon after taking over Markdel and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

Lee Freedman left Australia on Thursday to oversee the European pre-export preparation of Lucas Cranach from Newmarket.  He is due to arrive in Australia on September 24 with the first shipment of Spring Carnival imports from Europe.

Lucas Cranach is by former Darley stayer Mamool (In The Wings) who stands at Gestut Graditz in Germany.

A G1 winner of the Grosser Preis von Baden and Preis von Europa, he started a well-backed $6.50 favourite in Makybe Diva’s first Melbourne Cup in 2003 but pulled up lame.

Sheikh Mohammed sent him back to Flemington twelve months later and, after a slow getaway, he did marginally better when beaten seven lengths by Makybe Diva the second time around.