Racing: Ready to Run sale takes off at fast clip

This Tavistock colt (lot 92) sold for $260,000 at Karaka yesterday. Photo / Trish Dunell

This Tavistock colt (lot 92) sold for $260,000 at Karaka yesterday.

There was plenty of pre-sale "buzz" around this year's edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run sale of two-year-olds that kicked off at Karaka yesterday and it didn't take long for the action to explode in the auction ring.

Barely had pundits taken their seats when Lot 4, an All Too Hard colt from Zabeel mare Zuzela, set the standard for the morning when knocked down to the $260,000 bid of Raffles Farm manager Bruce Sherwin.

The athletic colt, who was presented as part of the Westbury Stud draft, had breezed up in a languid 12.44 seconds for the 200m dash and attracted interest from around the sale ring before going to Sherwin after a protracted battle.

The dust had barely settled when Ohukia Lodge's Lot 10, a Tavistock colt from stakes placed mare Alleyrun, upped the ante for the morning when he was sold to ex-pat Kiwi Trent Busuttin for $300,000.

The half-brother to Gr. 3 Kelt Memorial Handicap winner Allez Eagle was another to catch the eye with a comfortable 11.56 second breeze up that attracted interest from numerous suitors during the auction ring action. Busuttin, who has had exceptional success with the stock of Tavistock including Australian Derby winner Tavago, was upbeat with the purchase and the price he had paid.

"You know when you are going after quality horses like this colt you are going to have to go a little extra to get them," he said.

The colt will head to Busuttin and partner Natalie Young's Cranbourne stable along with a second Tavistock colt the pair snapped up later in the morning. Lot 30, from Fantastic Light mare Bahama Chica, was purchased by Busuttin on behalf of Patella Bloodstock for $100,000.

From the Landsdowne Park draft, the leggy colt had caught Busuttin's eye as soon as he saw his breeze up.

"He comes from a good staying family and I would expect that is where his future will lie."

Meanwhile, patience has paid off for vendors Nick Fairweather and Nicole Brown after they sold their Tavistock colt (lot 92) for $260,000 to Julian Blaxland of Blue Sky Bloodstock.

"We are absolutely rapt with the result and really rapt with the Kiltannon team [who prepared him)] they did such a great job with him," Fairweather said.

- NZ Racing Desk