Heads were turned as Lot 263 entered the ring, the stunning O'Reilly colt from Savabeel mare Honolulu, who had been tipped by many to stand at the top of the mountain at the conclusion of the two-day sale.
The showy brown colt from the Waikato Stud draft didn't disappoint as a furious bidding duel erupted over several minutes before the contest was settled in favour of well known local bloodstock agent Bruce Perry, who signed on behalf of some powerful Australasian identities for a then sale-record of $580,000.
Among the mix was the leading Victorian trainer Ciaron Maher, who will have the responsibility for preparing the colt for several of his clients, along with Wellington businessman Lib Petagna, under his JML Bloodstock brand, and Dato Yap Kim San's Raffles Racing.
However, before the assembled media could dry the ink on their copy that record
was eclipsed by the very last lot of the day, a chestnut Sebring colt from the
Lyndhurst Farm draft, who was knocked down to the final bid of $650,000 from Australian
agent Toby Koenig.Koenig, who was acting on behalf of Melbourne-based Ultra Thoroughbreds, had picked up both a Pentire colt and Jimmy Choux colt earlier in the day, but admitted this was the horse he had come to buy.
"I think I definitely emptied the tank on that one," he said. "He was definitely the horse we came to buy, just a magnificent individual.
"We knew there would be some fierce competition for him, in fact stronger than we had anticipated, but eventually we got what we wanted."
A sibling to stakes-winners Upon This Rock, Bhutane Dane and Gaze On from terrific producer Joleur, the star colt is also a brother-in-blood to $7million earner Criterion, who is also by Sebring from a full sister to Joleur.
Koenig said the colt would be on a plane to Melbourne within the week where he would be spelled before a decision on a future trainer would be made.
Koenig featured prominently earlier in the year when purchasing a Savabeel colt for $775,000 during the Premier session at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
The previous record for the annual Ready To Run sale was set last year when Mr IP Chun Shing outlaid $525,000 for an O'Reilly ex Miraculous Miss gelding from the Ascot Farm draft. – NZ Racing Desk
Koenig said the colt would be on a plane to Melbourne within the week where he would be spelled before a decision on a future trainer would be made.
Koenig featured prominently earlier in the year when purchasing a Savabeel colt for $775,000 during the Premier session at the 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale.
The previous record for the annual Ready To Run sale was set last year when Mr IP Chun Shing outlaid $525,000 for an O'Reilly ex Miraculous Miss gelding from the Ascot Farm draft. – NZ Racing Desk
Footnote: The Sebring colt from Joleur was originally a $210,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Willow Park draft.
