KEY POINTS:
The poor relations of New Zealand harness racing finally gained some respectability in Christchurch yesterday.
For the past two decades our trotters, whose international deeds greatly outshine our pacers, have been treated like a secondary class.
Not only have they raced for smaller stakes but they have rarely
fetched decent money at the yearling sales.
That all changed in an electrifying session at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sales at the Canterbury Agricultural Park.
Firstly, the New Zealand record for a trotting yearling was equalled when $115,000 was paid for a J's Photo colt out of open class mare Diedre's Pride.
But he only had his 15 minutes of fame before the record was smashed when $160,000 was paid for a Sundon colt.
The colt, out of Eilish Mac, who has already left young trotting stars Earl Of Mot, Ella Powell and Harriet Hughes, is now the most expensive young trotter sold in Australasia.
He was purchased by Christchurch owner Dennis Thompson, who has been a huge investor in harness racing in the last five years. The good-looking colt will be trained by Kevin Townley.
The sale met great approval from breeders of trotters, who at last see cause for renewed hope
With the emergence of the Harness Jewels and strengthening of the Sires' Stake and Sales Series for trotters, the best of that gait can now earn good money, which will have future impact on demand - and yearling prices.
The $160,000 matched the top price for any yearling on a solid day of selling, sharing the top lot honour with a sister to great mare Mainland Banner.
She was purchased by Ian Dobson, who owned Mainland Banner, the winner of the 2005 New Zealand Cup.
That continued the awesome results of super sire Christian Cullen this week after his staggering returns at Karaka on Monday.
Yesterday's sale was greatly different from Karaka though, with more mid-range buying and fewer big buyers.
It doesn't help when one sale is conducted in the palatial Karaka sales complex and the other at a wind-swept cattle yard in Canterbury.
But auctioneers PGG Wrightsons were pleased, with the sales average close to last year's result.
"We are happy with that when you realise we have three days of selling here and a lot more horses than last year, which would usually reduce the average," said PGG Wrightson spokesman Bruce Barlass.
* Champion New Zealand trotter One Over Kenny is rated a $1.30 favourite in the Cochrane Cup at Geelong on Saturday night, her lead-up race to the Interdominions.