A nervous James Bester had a hunch he was in for a scrap for the prized yearling at Karaka yesterday.
But he admits he'd fired his last blow when he made his knockout bid for the Zabeel colt out of Diamond Like, the $2 million headline act from the two-day
premier catalogue.
Bester's dramatic battle with under-bidder Coolmore Stud ended with the Sydney-based bloodstock agent securing the third-most expensive horse ever bought at the National Yearling Sale.
Only Don Eduardo, who sold for an Australasian record $3.6 million in 2000, and Saperavi, who fetched $2.2 million in 2006, had gone for more. Sun Ruler also went for $2 million three years ago.
"Obviously I was hoping I'd be able to get him for less," said Bester, who was bidding on behalf of undisclosed Australian owners.
"When you convert the price to Australian dollars, which is around $1.6 million, I think he's still value."
"I thought that might be the price he'd go for once I got an inkling that Coolmore Stud was hell-bent on securing him - they're never easy to beat."
A relieved Bester, who had been coming to the national sales in one capacity or the other since 1988, was in new territory yesterday.
With the adrenalin still pumping ringside, he guessed that his previous biggest Karaka yearling had been in the $500,000 region.
In Australia, his record yearling bid was A$1 million in 2007 for subsequent group two winner Von Costa De Hero, who an Arab syndicate bought a half share in for A$5 million a year later.
He also paid A$1.4 million for a Redoute's Choice colt out of Winning Belle at the Sydney Sales last year.
Bester knew from the moment he first laid eyes on Cambridge Stud's striking bay colt that the stress levels were about to jump a notch.
"I gave this horse the highest rating I've ever given in the Southern Hemisphere," said Bester. "This horse had a great mix of Zabeel and Danehill. He is the best horse on the ground and the best pedigree.
"He's the best I've seen since Octagonal - he's got the same quality and class."
Bester said the yearling's owners have yet to decide on an Australian trainer for the colt.
But he has no doubt they'll get a quick return wherever he ends up.
"I'm pretty confident that barring accidents he'll be an outstanding racehorse," he said.
"I think he'll be a 1400m 2-year-old and a Cox Plate contender at 3; the Zabeel factor will carry him over distances, though I don't see him as a cups' horse.
"He's got versatility, class and balance. I like the fact that his mum was fast and his grandmother was fast, even though she won an Oaks."
Despite Bester's confidence in the blue-blood colt, many insiders had tipped Pencarrow Stud's Redoute's Choice-Grand Echezeaux colt as the showstopper.
Leading New Zealand buyer David Ellis was glad they were wrong after winning a tense transtasman battle with a $1.3 million bid.
The biggest Kiwi spender for the previous five years, the Te Akau boss admitted that he'd been left reeling for the first time from the strong Australian bench.
"I've just been blown out of the water,"said Ellis, who bowed out at $1.2 million for the Diamond Like colt.
"I feel enormous relief [to get the Grand Echezeaux colt] because this is the strongest sale I've ever been to in New Zealand - there's just so much competition on those really good horses.
"It's very hard to compete with the Australians who have to pay just 79 cents in the dollar."
Ellis and his trainer Mark Walker had the half-brother to their former stable star Darci Brahma on the radar from the day he was born.
They'd already spent $2.2 million to secure his half-brother by Stravinsky, Saperavi, in 2006, but he never reached his potential because of injury.
"We bought Darci Brahma for $1.1 million so we thought this colt has got to make more - it's just an enormous pleasure to have him in the stable."
Ellis said the yearling will race for a 10-strong syndicate who for $230,000 apiece also share in six-figure Karaka colts by Fusaichi Pegasus, Pins and Encosta de Lago.
"Darci Brahma trialled in October as a 2-year-old and he'll also probably be at Taupo on the same day," said Ellis of his younger half-brother.
"He's just as precocious as Darci Brahma was."
A nervous James Bester had a hunch he was in for a scrap for the prized yearling at Karaka yesterday.
But he admits he'd fired his last blow when he made his knockout bid for the Zabeel colt out of Diamond Like, the $2 million headline act from the two-day
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