A Rare Opportunity

David writes:

Each year I put together a partnership to purchase the best four colts at the Karaka Sale - on both type and on pedigree.

They have to have the breeding that puts them in the top 5% on pedigree and they have to be very athletic, stand out individuals that can race at Group 1 level in Australia and New Zealand.

This coming breeding season Te Akau Racing will have five stallions purchased by me standing at stud and it is hoped that at least one of these four blue blooded colts will be up to winning black type on the world stage and then stand at stud in New Zealand.

World wide, top colts that are retired to stud can be worth $45-$55 million and New Zealand breeders simply can't afford to pay this sort of money to buy them.  The only entry level that we have is to buy these colts as yearlings and turn them into internationally successful racehorses before they return to stud.

This year my partnership purchased four colts - the pictures and details are below. I am sure you will agree that each is a magnificent individual with brilliant credentials.

Putting this partnership together allows us to train the very best colts born in New Zealand and Australia - that is thrilling and exciting for our owners and easily my favourite task of the year.

This year our four colts' partnership has been the most successful ever and already 80% has been sold and the remaining 20% will sell very quickly.  We would love you to be part of this unique and exciting opportunity!

A 10% share in these four colts is $225,500
A 5% share in these four colts is $112,750
A 2.5% share in these four colts is $56,375

No other stable in New Zealand can offer an opportunity like this - if you are interested in racing these four magnificent colts please call me on 07 825 4701 or email Karyn - [email protected] - this is a rare chance to be involved in the best bloodstock on offer.

FASTNET ROCK / RANDAROO colt - above - $680,000

“He is a grand colt and all class,” said Curraghmore Stud boss Gordon Cunningham. “He has maturity, quality, out of a top US mare that was a six time group winner and I loved him from the time I saw him. I have never offered a horse as mature as him."

“This colt has a stallion's pedigree and a real Fastnet Rock (Danehill) type,” said David Ellis. “He has incredible presence to match his physique and he looks a Sires' Produce (Gr. 1, 1400m) and 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) type - to me he is a great stallion prospect - a magnificent individual - as you can see for yourself.

SAVABEEL / SPLASHING OUT  colt - above - $500,000

Splashing Out commenced her racing career with a hat-trick of wins, culminating in the Thoroughbred Club (Gr. 3, 1200m) at Caulfield, before finishing second in the Ascot Vale (Gr. 1, 1200m) at Flemington.

At stud, she has already left five time winner Shopaholic (Pins), successful in the Vanity Stakes (Gr. 3, 1410m) at Flemington, and the Armanasco Stakes (Gr. 2, 1400m) at Caulfield. Along with debut winner Spending (Pins).

This coltis from one of Waikato's Studs most potent and current families including Sacred Falls (O'Reilly), who won the 2000 Guineas (Gr. 1, 1600m) and the AJC Doncaster (Gr. 1, 1600m).

“He's a special horse, all over: pedigree, type, attitude, everything,” said Waikato Stud boss Mark Chittick. “He is a real standout and it is probably the most we have ever paraded a horse, such was the interest in him. There was a lot of competition for him in the ring and we're rapt he's gone to such a good home."

“When I came to the sales I thought Waikato Stud had the best draft I had ever seen and I've just bought their best yearling,” said David Ellis. “He's going to go into a syndicate of four colts to join the Fastnet Rock - Randaroo (Gold Case) I bought for $680,000.

“I am trying to buy a Golden Slipper horse, a Guineas horse, Derby horse, and a Caulfield Cup horse for the syndicate, and this horse could fit the bill for the Derby,” said Ellis.

“I am really excited that we are able retain colts like this to race in New Zealand,” said Ellis. “An Australian trainer and the Hong Kong Jockey Club were on him and, hey, he's in New Zealand.”

PENTIRE / AXIOM colt - above - $375,000

“The head groom from Rich Hill told me this is the nicest colt he's ever been involved in preparing for the sale,” said David Ellis.

New Zealand Bloodstock Chairman Joe Walls was also very taken with the colt and said:

“We saw him early in our travels, at Rich Hill, and he was the best colt we had seen at that stage. He is a brother to a very good horse [He's Remarkable - now a stallion], who should have been a Group One winner as we all know. Out of a Zabeel mare, he has the athleticism, has the size and temperament, and the sort of horse that if he could win a classic race as a colt, a Guineas or a Derby, he has everything to be a stallion prospect. So, I loved him and think he is a very nice horse."

He's Remarkable, a $360,000 yearling purchase at Karaka, stamped his ability from the outset with an impressive debut win and went on to win six races including the Newmarket Handicap (Gr. 3, 1400m) at Newcastle in Sydney.

From an unraced Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare, his grand-dam is multiple stakes performer Arletty (Centaine). She won eight of her twenty-nine starts, including the Wilkinson Mile (Gr. 3, 1600m) and Ra Ora Stakes (Gr. 3, 2000m) at Ellerslie, the Villiers Stakes (Gr. 2, 1600m) at Randwick, and the Queen of the Turf (Gr. 2, 1500m) at Rosehill.

FASTNET ROCK / BEYOND THE SUNSET colt - above - $700,000

“He's one of the most stunning horses you would see at any sale in the world,” said David Ellis. “We were in Europe at the yearling sales this year and you would not have seen a better type of colt, a better athlete than this colt. I have bought two out of the mare already and they have both been stakes performers. I think this is probably a better athlete than those two and we're just thrilled to have a colt of his quality for $700,000.

“I thought this horse would make somewhere between five hundred and a million. It doesn't matter what the market is, for colts of his quality people come out of the woodwork and you think you may value a horse conservatively but on the really good athletes like this people come out to buy them. I came in at about $600,000 and I always come in late.

“He is a beautiful colt and all my team rated him on top, and I don't think you can describe what a thrill it is to come to a sale like this and finish up with the horses that you want. Our business is training racehorses in New Zealand, and Singapore, and to have colts like this is a dream come true. It is really exciting for all the staff, the jockeys, the whole team, to have horses like we've bought this week makes them all excited.

“I keep coming back [to Karaka] because I feel like part of the family here, and I've had huge success buying out of this ring. I have bought some really top horses that have seen us win a lot of premierships and train fifteen stakes winners a year. We have been a leading stable for stakes' winners for the past fifteen years and it's really hard to do it.

“From the outside it may look easy to win a premiership, but it's not because it's unbelievably hard as you're up against really talented people.

" I have bought these colts because I've got huge faith in the New Zealand racing and breeding industry,” said Ellis.