Waikato Stud’s Savabeel colts lead way
WELLINGTON: Waikato Stud recorded a standout session on the first day of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run sale yesterday, selling four of the five top lots.
The quartet were prepared by Jamie Beatson under his Ohukia Lodge banner and the result was made sweeter by the fact that all four were sired by resident champion stallion Savabeel.
‘‘I have known Jamie and [his cousin] Sam Beatson for a long time and the Beatson boys used to break in for us,’’ Waikato Stud coowner Mark Chittick said.
‘‘Jamie breaks in some of the fillies that we keep and they are downtoearth, topclass horse people who have basically grown up on a horse’s back.
‘‘That’s the approach that we want given to our horses.’’
Mark and father Garry Chittick sold the two salestoppers midway through the day for $500,000. Both colts are destined for Hong Kong.
Cambridge bloodstock agent Stuart Hale went to $500,000 to secure lot 84, a colt out of High Chaparral mare Lady Chaparral, for Hong Kong client Wong Shing Ngai, of Regency Stables.
Later in the day, Hong Kong trainer Manfred Man matched that bid when purchasing lot 127, a colt out of O’Reilly mare Maxmara.
Te Akau’s David Ellis teamed up with Aquis Farm to purchase a colt out of Pins mare Millililli, and bloodstock agent Cameron Cooke went to $375,000 to secure lot 180, a colt out of a halfsister to multiple stakes winner Precedence.
‘‘The guys that bought those four horses are all top judges and have been at the game a long time,’’ Chittick said.
While the Matamata farm is wellknown for its yearling sales results, Chittick said that they were now identifying which of their stock were suited to which sale and were now preparing them accordingly.
‘‘Considering that we’re breeders of a lot of animals, what we’re really learning now is to wait for the day that is the best day for the horse,’’ he said.
‘‘There is no doubt that over the years I have had blinkers on myself at the yearling sales, but you’ve just got to give the horse the time for whatever their best day is.
‘‘I think what has happened today is we have produced nice animals that just needed that bit more time. We have taken them through our system to a certain stage. Jamie and Chanel took over from there and just finished them off superbly at what is a busy time of the year for us.’’
While Waikato Stud has prepared 2yrolds for the sale in previous years, Chittick said they opted to delegate this year’s preparation to Ohukia Lodge.
‘‘We’ve sold them ourselves before but it is a difficult time of year for us with a busy breeding season and if you want the best job done, you utilise the best people you can.’’
Chittick also took great pride in seeing three generations of his family enjoy good sales results. Garry set the bar high having bred the Lady Chaparral colt, while his children bred the Savabeel colt out of Millililli.