Roll The Dice’s Steve Travalgia On Moir Bound Profiteer With A Slot In The Everest As End Game

Jnr said. “It was to give him a look around The Valley, which we know is a unique circuit. We’ve been working on this horse to switch off because we know he’s got blistering speed when he wants it, but if we can harness his energy at points of the race, he’s going to be a lot more effective.”

Profiteer returns to the spring with four lifetime starts behind him for two wins and a second. His victories were on debut at Flemington in December and in the Inglis Millennium (Listed) at Randwick in early February. He was second to Anamoe in the Gr.2 Todman Stakes before running unplaced to Stay Inside in the Golden Slipper.

"We went to the sale still looking for three-year-old types then for one reason or another, we decided to have a crack at buying a two-year-old," said the director and co-founder of Roll The Dice Racing, Steve Travaglia.

"The first horse we picked up was Profiteer."

Travaglia recalled Darren Weir once predicted that the then first season sire in Capitalist, would make a good stallion. While Travaglia also knew something of his dam, Athena Lass, who was placed in a race they sponsored at Moonee Valley in 2017.

"She beat one of Weir's horses (for third) in the Roll The Dice Handicap so I followed her after that," he said.

"She was a knob in the wet."

Connections are hoping Profiteer has inherited a similar affinity for rain-affected tracks with heavy conditions, which tend to be quite common on Everest day.

Profiteer spent his winter spell after the Slipper growing out and growing up. Like Stay Inside, he was put into the dressage ring during pre-training, and Kent Jnr said he has come back to Caulfield better for it.

The first target for Profiteer is the Moir Stakes under Jye McNeil. After the Moir, it’s likely Profiteer will head to the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud S. or The Everest, depending on results.

“If he was to win the Moir, The Everest could become an option if someone dangled that carrot in front of the owners,” Kent Jnr said. “The Moir and the Coolmore are two lovely races for him, and two races that Mick Price knows how to win. He’s won the Moir twice with Extreme Choice and Samaready, and he’s won the Coolmore in recent years with Flying Artie.”

Although Roll The Dice has previously preferred to concentrate on buying slower-maturing horses, they decided to make a few changes at the 2020 Classic sale.

“He’s had that beautiful grounding instead of just being tipped out into the paddock,” the trainer said. “That seems to be paying dividends. He’s very strong now and has what I would call the most magnificent hindleg. There is so much thrust and drive from it. He’s not a tall horse, but he’s just a beautiful sprinting colt, and he’s definitely bulked up since his 2-year-old autumn.”

The Capitalist colt has already claimed A$1.37 million in prizemoney, making the stallion one of the more valuable options out of the 2YO book last year.

Profiteer is raced by Roll The Dice Racing, but among the shareholders in the colt is Newgate Farm, with obvious sights on his stallion career down the line. Henry Field’s operation bought into Profiteer in February (ahead of the Inglis Millennium win) “on a very similar deal structure to what we did with Extreme Choice”, Field said at the time.

“We’ve bought him at a base price that is similar to what a high-profile yearling colt would make, with a bonus built in if he goes on and wins a Group One race,” Field said in a previous interview.

Travaglia had his own printing and picture framing business for 25 years while racing a few horses on the side with trainer Darren Weir, but five years ago he decided to focus on his syndication business with great results for Roll The Dice.