Prominent owner Gary Harding is hoping that lightning can strike twice after he outlaid $170,000 for a Per Incanto filly on day one of the Book 2 session at the National Yearling sale.
Harding took a fancy to the filly out of unraced Fusaichi Pegasus mare Bellerama that was consigned through the Little Avondale Stud draft and was keen to secure her.
Harding was trading on past experience having purchased a Per Incanto filly in 2019 from Little Avondale for $160,000 that now races under the name Bonham from the Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard stable at Otaki.
Bonham has won four of her five career starts including the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham earlier this month, with Harding keen to see his latest purchase attempt to tread a similar past.
“I thought this one was the filly of the sale and I thought I got her for a reasonable price,” he said.
“Initially I thought I might get her for a little less but after seeing the interest in her today I thought she might be up around the $200,000 mark.
“Sometimes having competition like we did on her is a good thing as it helps vindicate your opinion of the horse.”
Harding’s racing team is kicking plenty of goals at present and he is looking forward to the next few months when another wave of younger horses hit the track.
“The whole team is going well at the moment and we have some young ones coming through over the next month or so that I’m very excited about,” he said.
“Johno and Hollie are doing a great job for me, so I’m very pleased with them.
“It is a big decision to send horses so far away from home, but I think it is the best thing I have ever done,” Tirau-based Harding said.
“They are honest and straight forward which is all I ever ask for.”
Harding was active during the Book 1 session of the sale securing three yearlings including a Pierro colt, Lot 461 for $180,000 from the Carlaw Park draft, Lot 498, a Lonhro colt for $100,000 from the Beaufort Downs draft and Lot 531, a Snitzel colt for $210,000 from Cambridge Stud.
