Retired race mare a star at sale
They were never going to sell it any other way, but there could be some truth in yesterday’s firstever all trotters’ sale at the Premier Yearling Sales being labelled a ‘‘resounding success’’.
That was the call from PGG Wrightson’s standardbred division representative, Peter Lagan, who was positively beaming at the completion of the 40-odd lots offered up in the Riding For the Disabled Arena at the Christchurch Showgrounds.
‘‘I don’t think I can call it anything else,’’ he said. ‘‘The feedback throughout the day and the encouraging comments in the immediate aftermath of the sale on how it went as a whole has been fantastic.
‘‘I’ve had people coming up and tell me that they’ve got trotters sorted for the sale next year already.’’
After a mixed day at Karaka on Monday, buyers, vendors and enthusiasts alike will have headed to Christchurch with a tentative mindset amidst a completely new look format to involve themselves in.
Things would have relaxed considerably when the first 10 lots through the ring went for a combined total of $250,000 as buyers settled into their work.
‘‘By having the parade first, we managed to ensure there was a good strong crowd on hand and the numbers around the ring when the first lot came through were very good and it set the tone.
‘‘As is always the case though, nice types with good pages will always sell well.’’
The top lot of the day came as no surprise to anyone with bigspending Australian Emilio Rosati forking out $160,000 over the phone to secure the fifth foal of champion trotting mare, One Over Kenny, by Love You.
The chestnut colt was a standout on the page, but in type he was even better and there were more than two parties interested in getting their hands on the royally-bred prospect.
‘‘Emilio was rapt to secure him,’’ Lagan said. ‘‘And the best part from our perspective is that at this stage he will remain in New Zealand as he’s heading down to Phil Williamson to be trained.’’
Greg and Nina Hope went to $60,000 to secure the second highest lot of the day - an Angus Hall colt from Michelle Caig’s great producing mare, Sun Mist, while Aldebaran Lodge went to
$40,000 to snare the Love You colt from Triple A.