'I have learned everything I know by watching and getting a feel for the horses'

Bloodstock agent Armando Duarte has more than 20 years' experience in racing and his purchases have included Paita, the first European breeze-up graduate to win at the top level, and fellow Group 1 winner Alenquer, owned by MM Stables, for whom he acts as racing manager. He fills us in on his experiences past and present.

You’re from Portugal, tell us about coming to Britain and your initial involvement in racing and bloodstock...

I came to Newmarket 23 years ago unable to speak English and went straight to the Racing School for a week. I then worked for Jeff Pearce before working for Rae Guest. It was a difficult time and very frustrating because I was desperate to learn and the teacher wanted to teach but as I couldn’t speak the language we had to communicate by sign language. This is when my interest in bloodstock began.

And bring us up to date with your career; what have been your more recent roles and which led to what you are doing now?

Previously I had only ever been a stable lad or exercise rider; I don’t have any qualifications because I wasn’t very good at school. I have learned everything I know by watching and getting a feel for the horses. Bill O’Gorman was a great mentor when Emma O’Gorman and I started doing breeze-ups, which helped me to meet new clients and led me to doing what I am now.

You were involved with Seven Spring Stables and now with MM Stables, how is that going?

My partnership with Seven Springs Stables finished in 2012. I have been buying the odd yearling and horse-in-training for a few clients and Paul Moroney has helped me a lot on that front. Currently I am racing manager for MM Stables, but I am available to do bloodstock work outside of this role.

Trade at sales in Europe and elsewhere seems healthy; what did you make of the breeze-ups and what are your thoughts going into the second half of 2022 and the yearling sales?

The sales have been very strong so far this year. The breeze-ups were very strong and hard to buy at. I was at most of the breeze-up sales and if you don’t have the right horse with a good pedigree and a fast breeze time, then nobody wants to buy them.

Regarding the upcoming yearling sales, I think it will be difficult to buy the horse you want for the right budget. I have a slightly different approach to looking at yearlings than most other bloodstock agents; I don’t look at pedigrees, I try to look at every single horse, then I make a list so I have a chance to buy another Alenquer.

Which brings us nicely on to namecheck time - fill us in on some of the more notable horses you have bought and sold...

Paita is the first I'd mention, a breeze-up purchase for 10,000gns who was sold on for 32,000gns and who went on to win the Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. She was the first graduate from a European breeze-up to win a Group 1.

Group 1 winner Alenquer was bought by Armando Duarte for 80,000gnsCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Alenquer is of course a Group 1 winner now, a multiple stakes winner who I bought for 80,000gns as a yearling.

There's also Wake Up Maggie, who was bought for €24,000 as a yearling and became a dual Group winner and was second in the Group 1 Cheveley Park, beaten a neck, and Sand Vixen, bought for 30,000gns and sold at the breeze-ups for 130,000gns before becoming a Group 2 winner.

The dual Group 2 winner Lucky Kristale was bought for 22,000gns, Listed winner Never Back Down for £100,000 as a yearling, and Maglev for £210,000 at the breeze-ups – he won this year's Baffle Stakes at Santa Anita.

Focusing on the William Haggas-trained Alenquer, you must have been delighted to see him become a Group 1 winner last month…

I think it was a very strong Tattersalls Gold Cup that he won. He doesn’t get the credit he deserves, he beat some good horses and the form was franked twice at Royal Ascot. He is brave, tough and very genuine. It was fantastic for the owners to get that win on the board and for all the team at Somerville Lodge too.

What’s the word from the camp on him?

He holds an entry in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown but we are unsure of the plan yet; he is entered in a number of other top races in the next few months.

He’s got the pedigree and form to make a stallion; any thoughts at this stage on his second career and might it potentially involve Germany?

At the moment we are not thinking about his stallion career; the owners are enjoying the journey and we will see where we are at the end of the year. There have been a few phone calls from Ireland, the UK and France but none from Germany.

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