Ex-Hannon horses in training purchase Floating Artist ready for next chapter

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable has done well with European imports, and while their Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet was already highly-rated before arriving, the pair also like to look a rung or two lower to try to find a horse that can race through the grades.

Floating Artist, a son of Nathaniel out of Pivotal mare Miss Kenton, is one of the stable's latest imports and makes his Australian debut in the 7f Les Taggart 'Bar's Closed' at Caulfield on Sunday.

The five-year-old was purchased at last year's Tattersalls Horses In Training Sale at Newmarket for 95,000gns.

"We've got about five of them, all similar types, all about ready to go," said Maher.

"There were a few that trialled at Traralgon on Wednesday, they're all nice enough horses.

"We target those horses with a rating around the 60 to 80 mark and see where they get to. If they come out with a rating of 100, it's tough to win a race, but if they come out with the right rating, they can win a few races."

Maher pointed to Al Galayel, successful in a benchmark 70 race at his Australian debut and now the winner of seven races since including a Group 3.

"The fun is in winning races," he said. "When they get up to 100, they need to be elite to win those races, but there's a lot of fun in the 70 to 100 horses. Floating Artist had time off when he got here and then we've been working him to this."

The gelded Floating Artist raced in the familiar silks of Michael Pescod for the Richard Hannon yard, winning on his debut at Goodwod as a juvenile, and also at Ascot the following summer, but he was unable to cut much ice in four starts last year prior to his purchase at Park Paddocks.

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