Kiwi Superpowers Command the Spotlight

Australia's Racing and Sports reports:

New Zealand breeding and racing superpowers Waikato Stud and David Ellis, the leading buyer at Karaka for the past 10 years, combined to set the highest price of $NZ775,000 on the first day of the National Yearling Sale Series on Monday.

Te Akau Racing supremo David Ellis buys what he believes are potential stallion types to boost the local breeding landscape should they prove successful on the racetrack.

This year Ellis was in two minds as to whether he should put together another syndicate of colts but that was before he set eyes on Lot 200, the Savabeel colt from the O'Reilly mare Bling offered through the draft of Waikato Stud.

The colt is a full brother to G1 winner Diademe while exciting G1 performer Sacred Star also features in his extended pedigree.

“I wasn't sure about offering a colts' syndicate this year however once I started to inspect the yearlings that would be on offer I knew we just had to go again,” he said.

“In particular I fell in love with this colt from the first time I saw him. He oozed quality and is from a cross that consistently produces quality stakes performing individuals.  He was simply one of the colts of the sale as he just had everything you look for in an individual as well as the family to back it all up.”

Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick was overwhelmed by the attention the colt received.

“We knew he could possibly be the best we had sold here purely through the sheer volume of parades and interest he received,” he said.  He has a wonderful extended pedigree that is full of stakes performers and as a type he has excited anyone who has looked at him.

The final bid of $775,000 represented a record for Waikato Stud at any auction as it eclipsed the $600,000 they received for a Fastnet Rock colt in 2015.

The purchase was one of 12 lots secured by Ellis on the day as he outlaid in excess of $3.2 million.

They included Lot 151, a colt by Tavistock from Zabeel mare Zsa Zsa Gabeel who was purchased from the Cambridge Stud draft for $460,000 along with a Fastnet Rock filly from Curraghmore for $420,000.

Ellis was also the underbidder on the unique white filly by High Chaparral who went to a Japanese buyer for $450,000.

Back