Karaka sales kick off with a bang
THERE was plenty of pre-sale excitement around this year’s edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run sale of two-year-olds at Karaka, and it didn’t take long for the action to explode in the auction ring.
Barely had pundits taken their seats when Lot 4, an All Too Hard colt from Zabeel mare Zuzela, set the standard for the morning when knocked down to the $260,000 bid of Raffles Farm manager Bruce Sherwin.
The athletic colt, which was presented as part of the Westbury Stud draft, had breezed up in a languid 12.44 seconds for the 200m dash and attracted interest from around the sale ring before going to Sherwin after a protracted battle.
The dust had barely settled when Ohukia Lodge’s Lot 10, a Tavistock colt from stakes placed mare Alleyrun, upped the ante for the morning when the horse was sold to ex-pat Kiwi Trent Busuttin for $300,000.
The half-brother to Group Three Kelt Memorial Handicap winner Allez Eagle was another to catch the eye with a comfortable 11.56 second breeze up that attracted interest from numerous suitors during the auction ring action.
Busuttin, who has had exceptional success with the stock of Tavistock including Australian Derby winner Tavago, was upbeat with the purchase and the price the trainer had paid.
“You know when you are going after quality horses like this colt you are going to have to go a little extra to get them,” he said.
“His breeze up was terrific and he looks the type that has good speed to compliment a very strong pedigree. By what we have seen I think he could be suited to the shorter distances, although you never can tell until you get them up and going.”
The colt will head to Busuttin and partner Natalie Young’s Cranbourne stable along with a second Tavistock colt the pair snapped up later in the morning. Lot 30, from Fantastic Light mare Bahama Chica was purchased by Busuttin on behalf of Patella Bloodstock for $100,000.
From the Landsdowne Park draft, the leggy colt had caught Busuttin’s eye.
“The first thing I thought was he was a replica of Tavago, in both his looks and his action,” he said.
“He comes from a good staying family and I would expect that is where his future will lie.”