Te Akau Principal David Ellis has purchased the last five Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winners and he believes he may have bought his sixth at Karaka on Sunday.
Ellis went to $625,000 to secure lot 52, the Written Tycoon colt out of Group One performer Pussy O’Reilly, from Woburn Farm’s draft.
Ellis said he was immediately taken by the colt when he first inspected him at Woburn Farm prior to Christmas, and he just had to have the yearling bred by Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan.
“He was bred by Sir Patrick Hogan and we fell in love with him when we first saw him in early December. I thought he was a colt we needed to have,” Ellis said.
The Karaka Million 2YO will be an obvious target for the colt, but Ellis is eyeing some other juvenile targets across the Tasman with his new acquisition.
“We are looking for horses that can win a Karaka Million and go on and be a Golden Slipper colt, and then come back and stand at stud,” Ellis said.
“This colt met all of that criteria. He is very athletic and had Karaka Million written all over him.
“I think he has got a lot of class and I thought we could keep him as a colt.
“He is a beautiful colt from a really good family, and we are thrilled to have him.”
While the $625,000 purchase price was a bit more than Ellis expected to go to, he said he was delighted to secure the colt he has judged in the top three in the sale.
“I went a bit more than I thought I would have to, but for these really top colts you have got to pay a little bit more,” he said.
“He is one of the top three in the sale.”
Buoyed by the great results on Karaka Million night for the tangerine and blue army, which included three wins on the six-race card, Ellis said he has been overwhelmed by the interest ahead of the Karaka sales this year.
“We have got huge interest in people wanting to buy shares in horses with us,” he said. “We are buying horses for all budgets and everybody will be welcome in the team.”
Woburn Farm’s Adrian Stanley was pleased with the result.
“He is a quality individual. He definitely has the wow factor but he is also easy to work with, a quick thinker and you can do anything with him,” he said.
“I thought the money was about right. We try to be realistic with our reserves. You have to get them going so he was on the market at $180,000.
“He has gone to a great stable. I couldn’t be happier that Jamie (Richards) has him. He will be given all the right opportunities.”
