Offshore buyers come calling
A pair of lightly tried three-year-olds have been sold out of Tony Pike’s Cambridge stable to overseas interests.
Multiple winner Sin To Win will be heading to Australia while Sacred Way is destined to further his career in Hong Kong.
“Our three-year-old racing is very good, but there’s not so much for them when they turn four and the money offered was very good,” Pike said.
A son of Sir Percy, Sin To Win was successful in three of his five appearances and at his most recent appearance he accounted for Victory Drive, who has subsequently won twice, and the group three winner Serious Satire. “He’s been sold to clients of David Hayes while Sacred Way is off to Hong Kong to Caspar Fownes,” Pike said.
Sacred Way has a win and two placings from his three starts earlier this year and the High Chaparral gelding was a trial winner at Taupo last month.
Meanwhile, Pike has an eye on one of the final two-year-old black type opportunities of the season with Haussmann in Saturday’s Great Northern Foal Stakes at Ellerslie.
“He worked well this morning and while he’s untried on a heavy track, we’ll probably roll the dice and then give him a break before the spring.”
Haussmann has placed in two of his three starts and at his most recent outing he closed strongly to finish runner-up behind the now Victoriandomiciled Ardrossan.
“I thought his run at Te Rapa was super — he just needs a bit more practice,” Pike said. “He can tend to over-race, but he does look a progressive horse.”
Consistency was rewarded at Pukekohe yesterday when Four Degrees downed his R65 opposition.
His win in the Super Signs 2200 was the second of his career and came off the back of minor placings in four of his previous five appearances.
“He tries really hard all the time and I think he will be a much better horse next year,” said Graham Richardson, who trains in partnership with Gavin Parker.— NZ Racing Desk BASEBALL BASKETBALL ICE HOCKEY SNOOKER