Prominent owner Gary Harding followed family orders at Karaka on Monday when purchasing a yearling which is set to be trained just an hour north of their Wellington base.
“I have got children and grandchildren in Wellington and they are always at me to race a horse down there so they could watch it,” Tirau-based Harding said.
“I thought I would buy a couple this year and send them down that way.”
He went to $500,000 to secure lot 368, the Exceed and Excel colt out of Tricia’o, out of Cambridge Stud’s draft.
Harding admitted he has a penchant for Exceed and Excel with the Group One-producing sire being the damsire of Bounding who Harding raced to win the Gr.1 Railway (1200m).
She was subsequently sold to America and made headlines last year when her first yearling sold for US$4.1 million.
Harding was pleased with his purchase which is set to join the Otaki barn of Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard.
“I am a bit biased because I had Bounding and I have got a very good two-year-old by Exceed and Excel too. I suppose I am a bit of a fan,” Harding said.
“He scoped out well and vetted up well and I am very pleased to have him.
“I am very pleased with the price, we thought we were going to have to pay a lot more for him.
“He is going to stay in New Zealand initially and then if he comes up he will head to Australia.”
Meanwhile, bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster went to $500,000 to secure lot 379, the Savabeel filly out of Group One winner Valley Girl, from Wentwood Grange’s draft.
The Hawkins family of Wentwood Grange were delighted with the sale, their biggest result in the farm’s history.
“This really means something to my brother Sean and I,” Wentwood Grange co-owner Dean Hawkins said.
“We raced the mare and won the Herbie Dyke (Gr.1, 2000m) with her and now to sell one of her foals for $500,000 is just fantastic.
“Our Dad always dreamed of selling a half million dollar yearling here at Karaka and now we’ve done it. Mum and Dad were in tears next to the ring.”
Mulcaster was pleased with his purchase and he said he has had a lot of success purchasing from Wentwood Grange, including Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) winner Kolding and dual Group One winner Kermadec, who is now at stud.
“I loved that filly as she is from Wentwood Grange and out of a Group One winner,” Mulcaster said. “We’ve been lucky enough to get Kolding and Kermadec from Wentwood Grange and we know their horses are always well prepared and they do a great job for us.”
