Racing: Colt with European lines may rock sale

The Love You colt is expected to attract strong bidding at Karaka today. Photo / Dean Purcell

A colt that goes under the hammer at Karaka today could provide a sneak peak into the future of New Zealand trotting.

The annual PGG Wrightson standardbred yearling sales week starts at the South Auckland complex, before moving to Christchurch tomorrow for three more days.

Expectations are for a strong sale, probably on a par with last year, with plenty of Australian interest and a deep stallion roster represented.

Lots fetching more than $100,000 may be rare, but a strong middle market should ensure an average similar to last year, which, like most yearling sales worldwide, was down on the previous year.

A smaller-than-usual representation of stock by Christian Cullen should be offset by good numbers for stallions like Bettors Delight, Mach Three, Grinfromeartoear and a select bunch of lots by new siring sensation Art Major.

Perhaps the most interesting entry of the day is Lot 53, the colt by champion French trotter Love You from smart mare Rock'n Rhonda.

Love You was a 1:52.5 trotter and won over €1.4 million, with his stock already doing great things in Europe even though this oldest crop are 4 and there is little in the way of juvenile racing in most European countries.

European and Scandinavian trotters are in a different class to anything seen in this part of the world, with their best on a par with our leading pacers.

While Kiwi breeders have dabbled in European stallions before, few have ever bred to the absolute best from that part of the world.

But with our legendary trotting stallion Sundon nearing the end of his career and few genuine standouts looking ready to replace him, the time could be right for a serious injection of European blood.

That is of course easier said than done but with frozen semen technology having improved and top US stallion Muscles Yankee's small crops here having shown the improvements that could be made to our trotting breed the timing may never be better.

The colt, named You Rock, will be offered by Croon Bloodstock, whose principal Rod Croon is excited by what he sees.

"Love You has done an amazing job with only a couple of crops racing and we were lucky to get the chance of breed to him," said Croon.

"I just hope more breeders look into the European trotting stallions in the future."

Croon has developed one of the most elite broodmare bands in New Zealand in the past decade and should be the top vendor again today.

He will offer a physically imposing colt by Christian Cullen from former smart filly Reality Check, a Bettors Delight colt from broodmare gem Twice As Good and a Christian Cullen filly from Personality Plus which will all be among the top lots today.

Also with a strong draft is Highfields Bloodstock, which has 10 fillies among their 13-strong draft.

One of their stars will be one of the few Art Major colts in the sale, a half-brother to big West Australian winner Total Defiance.

"He would be the best colt we have ever bred and I would be disappointed if he didn't top the $100,000," says vendor Chris Barlow.

PGG Wrightson spokesman Bruce Barlass says stunning results in Australia in the past year, where sales graduates like Monkey King, Smiling Shard, Sundon's Gift and Courage To Rule have dominated will ensure plenty of lots head across the Tasman.

"And we have a lot of very good stallions represented so we are expecting a strong sale, especially after the way the thoroughbred sales bounced back from a tough year last year to be a huge success two weeks ago," said Barlass.

The sale starts at 11am and will be covered live on Trackside.

SALES DAY

* The PGG Wrightson standardbred yearling sales will be held at Karaka today.
* More than 160 lots will go under the hammer.
* A colt by leading French stallion Love You will be one of the star attractions.