Racing UK's Oli Bell talks to bloodstock agent Alex Elliott

With the sales season in full swing the Racing UK presenter caught up with fledgling bloodstock agent Alex Elliot on how he got into his sphere, which new sires to look out for and why he might book a ticket to Los Angeles in a few weeks.

How did you get into racing?

My father trained National Hunt horses while I was growing up and I always rode from a very young age.

I started out with jumps trainer Philip Hobbs and then joined the Darley Flying Start programme in 2006 and having graduated I worked for trainers Sir Michael Stoute, Christophe Clement and Eoin Harty.

It was a dream working for Stoute, my childhood hero. I then did a year with Christophe Clement and was assistant to Eoin Harty, running a barn of 30 horses for him in California until the middle of 2012. More recently I have worked the sales circuit in both North America and Europe with bloodstock agent Jamie McCalmont.

How and why did you end up becoming a bloodstock agent?

I had always set my heart on training but to start up here in England you need either money or connections and it really helps if you have both.

On returning back from five years in America unfortunately I had neither.

I felt the best way to integrate myself back into the European scene was to get out and about around the sales. Jamie McCalmont was fantastic in giving me the opportunity to do that as his assistant and from that my career as an agent has evolved quicker than I ever imagined.

You have recently set up on your own, tell us about your new company?

Elliott Bloodstock Services is my new venture and I am based in Newmarket. It is a great location that is within two hours of all the sales in England (both Flat and NH).

The agency adopts a thoroughly professional approach to buying and selling racehorses, yearlings, breeding stock and horses-in-training.

I will be operating on a global scale and would be delighted to talk to prospective purchasers to advise them on their bloodstock requirements.

Talk me through the process at the sales for a bloodstock agent?

Each sale is different but at yearling sales, for me, it is important to try to see as many of the horses as possible. This will give you an overall feel for the quality of stock and how the market will play out when it comes to sale time. Once I have seen them all I will second look what was left on my list and cut that down to the horses that I feel will fit the profiles of my clients.

Looking at every horse is crucial when it comes to the following year and horses in training.

If I can refer back to my catalogue when I have interest in a horse it could save me trekking around Europe only to find out I cannot stomach the individual when I see them.

Once you have a final list you can then decide which horses should fall within your budget and they can then be vetted. When you walk into the sales ring it is very much a case of feel for me. If you can buy what you feel is value, over any period of time, you are going to come out on top.

What do you look for in potential purchases?

There are many factors that have to be considered when you look at a potential purchase. Form horses, untried stock and breeding stock are all so different that the list is endless. One thing I do know is that pace is vital to any horse trying to beat others in any race. If they have pace they have a shot, and you’ve got to look for that in all forms.

Who are the sires you look out for?

Galileo is a phenomenon and one of the greatest stallions the game has ever seen. The problem is that 90% of his best are owned by Coolmore and trained at Ballydoyle. That makes it very hard for anybody else to buy his best. Dubawi, Dansili, Oasis Dream and Invincible Spirit are just a few to name that are fantastic, but ultimately trail him.

Kodiac is a personal favourite at a cheaper level and he produces fast, tough and good-minded animals.

If his first season is anything to go by Rip Van Winkle has a big future, too.

Europe has the best bloodlines in the world, which shows year after year but I buy plenty of horses in the U.S and Tapit and War Front are doing their bit for America.

Give us a sire whose first crop is being sold in 2014 that you think will do well?

Zoffany would have to be right up there. Some of his yearlings have been gorgeous individuals and he is managed by Coolmore, the best operation in the world. The colt that sold for €340,000 (Zoffany x How’s She Cuttin’) at the Orby Sale was very special indeed. Keep an eye out for him next year.

Give us an idea of some of your success stories as a buyer?

Most of my success has so far been privately and on horses from Europe being sold to American clients. Annecdote looked very good when winning the Grade three Noble Damsel Stakes on her American debut for my old boss Christophe Clement last month. No Jet Lag was the first horse I bought as an agent and he won a Grade Two in Santa Anita prior to being well-fancied for last years Breeder’s Cup Mile.

You have had plenty of success in America, so what type of horse do you look for to race in the States?

To really excel in America you need a horse that has pace, is sound of both mind and limb and one that will stay nine furlongs.

Most horses in America are bred and trained for the dirt. That racing style lends itself to grinders, whereas turf horses need to have the ability to quicken. European races are won by the horse with a turn of foot and when they get to America they find themselves pitched against horses that have generally failed on dirt and are being tried on turf as a last resort. It puts us at a big advantage.

As a man who follows turf racing closely in America, how would you describe the quality of turf racing Stateside nowadays?

In America both sexes are very much kept to their own. You cannot buy a turf colt for America anymore as Hong Kong, Australia, Dubai and Qatar buy all of the suitable prospects. Therefore I would say that the racing for the colts and geldings has definitely regressed but that the filly and mare division is as strong as ever and will continue to be so. The market for well-bred fillies is as strong as ever Stateside.

The Breeders’ Cup is at the end of the month. Last year you had No Jet Lag running for Simon Callaghan, have you got anything this year we should keep an eye out for?

Last year Jamie and I bought a filly named Clenor (Oratorio) from Tommy Stack for clients based with Doug O’Neill, the American trainer.

She won her first two starts and was American favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf. This year we repeated the trick with She’s Complete (Oratorio), who was also trained by the Stacks and she won her second race in America, which was the same Listed race that Clenor won previously.

She’s Complete runs on Sunday at Santa Anita in The Surfer Girl, a Listed race. If she comes through that test I may book my ticket to LA!

Give us a horse to put in our NagMe accounts for the rest of the season?

We are in that transition period and a filly to follow for next year is Saturday’s Haydock winner Loaves And Fishes. She was very impressive on debut, having been well supported, and is handled by one of my favorite trainers in Clive Cox and has a pedigree to excel next year.

On the jumping front I bought a horse in the summer called O’Maonlai for David Fox. He is in training with Tom George and I think he could be a sleeper.

Away from racing, how do you unwind?

At the risk of sounding very boring, launching your own business leaves very little time to unwind. It’s a case of foot to the floor at the minute but I’m sure it will be all worth it. Racing is very much a 24/7 sport and if it’s not happening here in England it is happening in Ireland, France, Australia, or anywhere else! I definitely have FMO (fear of missing out) when it comes to business!

I watch and play lot of sport, including rugby, football, cricket and golf. I was lucky enough to be invited to the Wimbledon Final this year, which was one of the great sporting moments for me so far.

I also listen to a lot of music and would like to get to more live events than time allows.

Give us five people you would invite to dinner?

Pete Doherty, Samuel L.Jackson, Eva Mendes, Ron Jeremy and Howard Marks.

Sporting hero?

Richard Dunwoody

And finally what is your party trick.... ?

I’m quite good at Parkour