Racing: Birchley takes a hard line

Fired-up Queensland trainer Liam Birchley didn't enter the buying ranks at Karaka yesterday, but Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum did.

Birchley had a wallet full of dollars to spend after winning Sunday night's Karaka Million win with Hardline, but resisted, waiting until today.

"I don't spend money just because I've got it - I look for value."

Like when he bought Hardline for $130,000 at last year's sale.

"There are a couple I like tomorrow," he said.

"New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum has taken a leg in the filly and she will race in his Vermair Racing colours," said Te Akau principal David Ellis.

It is the No Excuses Needed - Singing Star filly, which sold for $100,000.

"I'm absolutely over the moon, because I'm a huge cricket fan, a huge supporter of Brendon's and I greatly admire the way he has been able to lift the New Zealand cricket team to an all-time high. To have him with a horse in the stable is a huge thrill for us.

"She is a beautifully balanced filly and a half sister to Miss Selby [O'Reilly] who won the Lowland Stakes and then finished runner-up in the New Zealand Oaks.

Her dam, Singing Star, was prepared by Hall of Fame trainer Jim Gibbs.

She displayed an impressive turn of foot in winning eight times, from 1400m and included her richest prize in the Waikato Cup.

"She shapes a quality staying type of filly and we were thrilled to have secured her," said Ellis.

The Karaka kingpin was back doing what he does best yesterday - creating headlines and dominating the ultra competitive buyer's bench.

The Te Akau Stud supremo finished as the leading buyer for the day with a total of 14 purchases totalling $1.9 million.

Ellis went to $400,000 to secure a colt by Fastnet Rock from the dam of Doncaster Hcp winner Triple Honour.

"I rated him as one of the best Fastnet Rock colts in the sale, made all the better by exuding a sensational temperament," said Ellis. The undoubted quality of the famous Cambridge Stud bloodlines were to the fore again as the Stud enjoyed a high-priced double strike early. The Cambridge draft provided Lot 36, a bay filly from the first crop of resident stallion Cape Blanco out of the Danehill mare Love Diamonds. The mare is a daughter of blueblood producer Tristalove with this filly's extended pedigree on the catalogue page reading like a who's who of Australasian racing.

That attracted plenty of international interest, but when the dust settled it was local trainer Debbie Rogerson who emerged with a winning bid of $450,000.

A bay colt by More Than Ready from Waikato Gold Cup winner Lovetrista, a daughter of Tristalove, went to Peter Moody, winning with an offer of $470,000.

- additional reporting: NZ Racing Desk