Savabeel colt sold to Hong Kong Jockey Club for $625,000 at Karaka

The Hong Kong Jockey Club's Southern Hemisphere buying agent Craig Rounsefell. Photo / Angelique Bridson

The Hong Kong Jockey Club struck early at Karaka in the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale yesterday, going to $625,000 to secure lot 11, the Savabeel colt out of Group Three performer Indecision, a half-sister to dual Group One winner Viadana.

The Jockey Club’s Southern Hemisphere buying agent Craig Rounsefell, of Boomer Bloodstock, was taken by the colt when inspecting him at Trelawney Stud, and he believes he is an ideal prospect for Hong Kong.

“I think it is a strong start to the sale. It is a good bunch of horses here and fortunately for us we had one of our top picks come up early in the sale,” Rounsefell said.

“He is a Savabeel colt who is ideal for our programme. He is a late November type, a later maturing type. He is off a great farm in Trelawney, one of the best farms in New Zealand.

“We just loved him on type. He is a very athletic, sound looking horse with a great temperament.”

The colt will now cross the Tasman to undergo his early education and is destined to head to Hong Kong where he will be offered through the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s international sale.

“He will head over to Australia to Limitless Lodge and he will get trained up there,” Rounsefell said. “He will head up to Hong Kong in two years for the international sale and then go into full work up there once he has been through the sale.

Trelawney Stud’s Cherry Taylor was duly rapt with the result, although she said the nerves were high with the colt being so early in the sale.

“We are thrilled to bits,” she said. “Lot 11 is a little bit nervous because it is early in the sale, but we really liked the colt and the mare has done so well, her first two [foals] are both winners. Storm Front, who Tony Pike trains is an exceptional horse.

“This one is just a beautiful type, so I am looking forward to seeing him run.”

Taylor had expected plenty of interest in the colt in the sale ring, but said the $625,000 price tag exceeded their expectations.

“We have had a lot of interest at our parades,” she said. “We thought the horse might make $400,000, but our reserve was $200,000. We always put low reserves on so we get them on the market and people can buy them.”

Taylor is looking forward to watching the colt’s progress in Hong Kong, a racing jurisdiction she has strong ties with.

“I have got a long association with Hong Kong,” she said. “My father [Cliff Goss] trained in Macau many years ago and one of my best friends lives in Hong Kong. We are up there all the time, so I am thrilled to bits he has gone to Hong Kong.”

Rounsefell featured on the buyer’s sheet throughout day one of the Book 1 session, with his other high-profile purchase being lot 149, the Satono Aladdin half-brother to Group Two winner Lantern Way, out of Rich Hill Stud’s draft for $525,000.

“He’s just a beautiful, good-looking horse that is sound, and looks fast,” Rounsefell said.

“He, to me, when you go through it just on pure physicals, is up there with as good as anything in the sale so far this year.

“In our programme, they’re not going to be racing until they’re later 3- or 4-year-olds and then we’re hoping they’ll have multiple seasons. You need those horses that are going to go on, so we thought he was just perfect for our system and just a really clean vetted horse.”

Rich Hill Stud principal John Thompson was pleased with the result.

“He is a very elegant colt. We heard comments that he was one of the best types in the catalogue,” he said.

“I was hoping he might make $350,000 to $400,000, so he exceeded that.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk