Stakes winner Collect Your Cash will continue his racing career in Australia after recently being purchased out of former trainer Shankar Muniandy’s Wingatui barn by leading Sydney trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
The son of Rageese was bred by Windsor Park Stud and was offered through their ‘Racing, Racing and Beer’ South Island Sale as a yearling in 2022 where he was purchased by Ben Kwok, under his Lionrock Bloodstock banner, for $15,000.
He was subsequently sold to a client of Muniandy’s, for whom he won two and placed in one of his six starts, including the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m) in February.
Muniandy was looking forward to campaigning the rising four-year-old this season, but said Waterhouse and Bott came knocking at an opportune time.
“He was a horse I was looking forward to, but the offer came at the right time, and I think he will go well in Australia,” Muniandy said.
“He is a half-brother to Debt Collector, who was a Champion Singapore Three-Year-Old.
“He handles all sort of ground and he is pretty laid back, you can race him anywhere. He is up to the Sydney grade, he is a Group horse.
“He has gone to the right stable and will get every opportunity.”
While he has lost the services of his stable star, Muniandy said he has plenty to look forward to this coming season, particularly with two-win mare Lucienne, who finished fifth in the Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), and promising rising three-year-old Enterprise.
“Lucienne had a good spell and has been in work for four weeks,” Muniandy said. “I’ll get her up and going for Cup Week, we are looking for black type with her.
“Enterprise ran second to Nucleozor in a two-year-old race first-up, and the Te Akau horse went on to win two more after that, including the Welcome Stakes (Listed, 1000m), so he has got good form behind him.
“He is back in the stable and will go to the Ashburton trials in two weeks. He will be ready to rock and roll for Cup Week.”
Meanwhile, Muniandy will be hoping to kick-off the new season in style when he heads to Riccarton on Saturday with I Hope I Never, who will contest the Group 1 Raceday Party – 14 September Rating 65 (1600m).
“She has loved the wet tracks and her run at Oamaru last start was super, she got back and ran home strong,” he said.
“The wetter the better for her, and if she goes well on Saturday, I might race her again on the last day over 1800m.”