Liquid gold to a Golden Eagle: Oil baron Nurlan Bizakov aiming to win at Rosehill with Lazzat

He parlayed his oil fortune into a wildly successful horse racing enterprise and now Nurlan Bizakov is chasing the second-richest prize in Australian racing.

Nurlan Bizakov fell in love with racing watching the sport in one of its most ancient forms.

Bizakov, the oil baron and owner of Golden Eagle contender Lazzat, is a native of Kazakhstan where cross-country endurance racing known as ‘Baige’ is a must-see spectacle.

“We are Kazakhs used to be nomads, so horses are in our blood,” Bizakov says.

“We are horsey people and I am ambitious enough to try and win every race.

“It started as a hobby back in the 1990s with the endurance races and then I went to London one day in the 2000s, and watched racing there and thought ‘this is a different story’”.

“I got lucky with the first horse I bought there.”

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That horse was Group 2 Lonsdale Cup winner Askar Tau and things have snowballed from there.

Bizakov now operates his Hesmonds Stud, as part of his breeding business Sumbe, with a string of world class gallopers competing around the globe.

Lazzat is his latest emerging star with the Jerome Reynier-trained gelding aiming to become the first European galloper to win the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens this Saturday.

Lazzat works at Canterbury ahead of the 2024 Golden Eagle. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

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For Bizakov, having a runner in the Golden Eagle has been an ambition more than 12 months in the making.

He had given serious consideration to bringing his now champion miler Charyn to Australia twelve months ago but made the decision with trainer Roger Varian to give the entire a winter break instead.

The decision has since proven to be a masterstroke with Charyn now considered among the best horses on the planet on the back of a year that has delivered three Group 1s.

Unlike Charyn, Lazzat isn’t a stallion prospect so chasing the big money on offer becomes more suitable.

🎥 | Unbeaten French import Lazzat having a hitout at Canterbury before Saturday’s Golden Eagle. pic.twitter.com/c485MWk32Z

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) October 29, 2024

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“Lazzat is a gelding so hopefully we can enjoy our journey with him,” Bizakov said.

“Maybe on our way home to France, we could stop over in Hong Kong but we will see what happens.

“Hong Kong is an option in December and the Saudi meeting in February.

“It’s a good horse to have at the moment but at the moment it is what is his optimum trip because he has won over 1500m and 1400m as well as 1300m.”

Lazzat has built an enviable record to start his career with six victories from six starts, much of which have come in dominant fashion.

𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 1 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 🌟

LAZZAT maintains his unbeaten record after a devastating display in the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville for @EcurieReynier & Nurlan Buzakov👏

The son of Territories (@DarleyStallions) was offered at #GoffsLondon in June🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/0yToirljtk

— Goffs (@Goffs1866) August 6, 2024

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His past four wins have come in stakes grade, headlined by his impressive last start success in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest (1300m) at Deauville on August 4.

But it was two starts before that planning began to target the Golden Eagle.

“When Lazzat won the Group 3 Djebel in April at Deauville over 1400m, I mentioned to this race to Jerome and he was very happy to think about it,” Bizakov said.

“We decided to aim at this race and that’s why we took him to Longchamp with the right bend in June, and he handled it well.

“He is a good horse that can handle, left turns, right turns and straights.”

Lazzat’s owner Nurlan Bizakov arrives at the Golden Eagle barrier draw at The Star Sydney. Picture: Jonathan Ng

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Lazzat is Bizakov’s first runner on Australian soil but he’s hoping it’s the first of many.

The leviathan owner has set up a business that will be managed by Australian-based bloodstock agent Will Johnson with plans to have a team based in Australia.

“I will need a few trainers here and maybe before the end of next season I will have a few horses in training in Australia,” Bizakov said.

“Will used to be assistant manager to Roger Varian so I have known him for almost 10 years now so fingers crossed.

“With the prizemoney, it’s a country you have to have horses. It’s not easy to get here but I am enjoying every minute being here.”

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Bizakov could make an immediate splash in Australia if Lazzat can claim the $5.25 million winner’s cheque in the Golden Eagle.

Lazzat is a $6.50 chance with Antonio Orani to ride.

Originally published as Liquid gold to a Golden Eagle: Oil baron Nurlan Bizakov aiming to win at Rosehill with Lazzat