System of Play Fan Club

NZ Racing News reports:

Jamie Beatson had to dig deeper than intended to secure a son of Ole Kirk last year, but topping up his budget proved to be a wise and lucrative move.

Under his and wife Chanel’s Ohukia Lodge banner, he paid A$180,000 at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale for the youngster offered by breeder Gerry Harvey’s Baramul Stud.

Te Akau chief Sir David Ellis subsequently went to $480,000 for the colt at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale and as System Of Play (Ole Kirk) is now a $4 favourite for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m).

Put aside after an autumn debut win at Te Rapa, the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained representative was an impressive victor in his Ellerslie reappearance over 1400m on Saturday.

“We weren’t at the sale and got Bill and James Mitchell to do the work for us over there,” Beatson said.

“We went through their list and picked out the ones we liked, we saw this colt online and he’s a pretty classy horse on pedigree and type.”

System Of Play is out of the Medaglia D’Oro mare Statuesquely, whose granddam is the two-time Group One winner Lotteria, with former champion Singapore sprinter and top-flight performer The Inferno also on the family page.

“We had to go a bit further than we thought we’d have to go, but we were pretty keen to get him and it’s worked out well,” Beatson said.

“It was good to see him come back from a spell on Saturday and make it two from two like that, he’s pretty exciting and he should get the distance of the 2000 Guineas.”