Bob Peters has been the benchmark in Western Australia for decades but he had never won with a jumper until Affluential landed the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown-Lakeside on Sunday.
He bought Affluential (NZ) for $140,000 through agent John Chalmers at the 2020 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale and that was a bargain considering his older full-sister Verry Elleegant (Zed) had already won the first two of her 11 Group 1 races in Australia.
Sent to Adam Durrant, he wasn’t seen in public until he was a 4yo and the shine had well and truly worn off by the end of that season with just a couple of provincial placings in 9 starts.
Peters sent Affluential to John Leek in Victoria and, after a further six-month spell, he resumed earlier this year only to be given a warning by stewards for attempting to buck at Yarra Valley in February. But the tide finally turned when he made a winning debut as a jumper at Pakenham in April.
“John has done a great job with this fellow,” Peters said after the Grand National. “We sent him over to see how he would go as a jumper and it’s been a great start.”
Affluential (6g Zed – Opulence by Danroad) is unbeaten in four starts over the obstacles. He had earned about $10,000 before the move east and now the bank balance has sky-rocketed to $350,000. “I had never had a jumps runner and there’s a couple of others I’m looking to send over,” Peters predicted. “That’s a bit of a worry because I might get the bug!”
Peters Investments is coming off a quiet season with Real Danger (I Am Invincible) and Western Empire (Iffraaj) its only black-type winners in 2023-24. But there’s every chance of an interstate feature win this season if Leek gets his way and sets Affluential for the G2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) in March.
“I would say that’s a bit ambitious for a low-ratings horse on the flat,” Peters admitted. “He will get there if he’s good enough but we won’t be mapping out any big targets at this stage.”
