International buyers hone in on Lilac Flash

Top Queensland pacer Lilac Flash could be on the way out of the Sunshine State with a USA offer pending for the seven-year-old.

Lilac Flash was a contender in the recent 2020 TAB Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship at Albion Park, which was taken out by King of Swing.

Trained by Darren Weeks, Lilac Flash has an outstanding record across his career, registering 22 wins from 82 starts, as well as 26 minor placings for a tick over $200,000 in prize money.

While a deal has not been struck just yet, Weeks has been in constant conversations with a USA-based agent regarding the purchase of Lilac Flash.

Weeks is no stranger to selling pacers to that part of the world as The Bus, among others from his stable, also making the move recently.

This is not the first time Lilac Flash, who returned from a 12 month lay-off following a spate of injuries and bad luck in the middle of 2020, has received interstate from USA-based owners.

“There have been negotiations, but nothing has been formalised as of yet,” Weeks said.

“It will all depend if the potential buyers can come up with the money or not, we will know more in the next few days.

“We have had interested buyers before that say they are keen to buy horses and they do not eventuate at times.

“The owner is not too worried either way, if the money comes up right, he is happy to sell, but if he is happy to keep him, as well.”

While the black gelding has been one of the more consistent pacers around Queensland over the years, Weeks admits he is not quite up to the level of stars like Colt Thirty One and Turn It Up, which played a part in the potential sale.

Owned by Brisbane local Darren Wilson, who also has several gallopers, Weeks says Lilac Flash has been a special horse to him and connections.

“He has been a lovely horse, he was a good purchase from New Zealand, he was not overly expensive,” Weeks said.

“He has only just ticked over $200,000 in prize money, he has been a really good horse for the stable.

“It is sad to see horses like that go, if the situation goes that way here, but we need to weigh up if it is better selling them or racing them on here.”

If a sale was to go through for Lilac Flash, his trainer says Wilson would likely reinvest in the industry and look to purchase more pacers.

In the meantime, Lilac Flash is set to go around this Saturday evening at Albion Park over 1660m in the third event of the program.