Banned racehorse Azkadellia up for auction
Group One winner Azkadellia is up for auction at the Echuca sale with a reserve of $300,000.
Group One winner Azkadellia, who has been banned from racing, is one of a number of former racehorses being auctioned at Echuca.
Azkadellia, winner of the Group One Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick in the autumn of 2016, has not raced since June 2016 following a Racing Victoria investigation into the mare’s ownership bona fides.
Convicted con man Peter Foster was the mastermind behind an elaborate conspiracy to hide his ownership of Azkadellia which eventually led to the disqualification of Ciaron Maher’s racing manager Ben Connolly.
Connolly was listed as the mare’s owner along with other racehorses Loveable Rogue, Hart, Mr Simples and Little Bubulu.
Maher was suspended for six months and fined $75,000 on charges including improper and dishonourable action and conduct prejudicial to the image, interests and welfare of racing.
Azkadellia was disqualified from several races in Victoria but retained her Group One win in NSW.
She has a reserve of $300,000 at Thursday’s sale and while she will not be allowed to race again, she can have a career as a broodmare.
The Echuca sale is notorious for attracting buyers from the meat trade, although former racehorses have been saved in recent years.