Rain fails to dampen spirits at Karaka

[Wandering Eyes]

Te Akau principal David Ellis didn’t let the torrential rain at Karaka on Sunday dampen his spirits as he was once again active in the newly named Sir Patrick Hogan Auditorium.

“We have never seen rain like this before at the sale,” Ellis said.

“It is just getting heavier and heavier. I am a farmer so I like the rain in January, you just can’t beat it. New Zealand is one big farm and we do it well.”

The leading buyer warmed up with a couple of early purchases on day one of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 sale before flexing his muscle when lot 59, an imposing son of Savabeel out of Windsor Park Stud’s draft, entered the sale ring.

The colt is out of Fastnet Rock mare Bayrock, a sister to multiple Group One winner Merchant Navy and Group Two winner Jolie Bay, and stakes winner Setanta. 

Bayrock is already the dam of Hindaam, a full-sister to the colt, who won the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m) for Lindsay Park Racing.

Ellis entered a duel with the Victoria operation, eventually coming out on top with his final bid of $625,000, and he was rapt with his purchase.

“He is a ripper of a colt. He is out of a Fastnet Rock mare, by our champion sire Savabeel, and reared on one of the best farms in the world in Windsor Park Stud,” Ellis said.

“I can see that he is going to be a forward Savabeel colt. We will send him home to the farm tomorrow, give him a good spell, and then he will be broken in and we will get him going.

“He has got a beautiful pedigree, he is a full-brother to a very good filly in Australia. There is a lot to like about this colt and he won’t be for sale for long.

“I believe in this family big time, and I think this is the best one the mare has left and we are just so happy to have him in the stable.”

Lot 59, the Savabeel colt out of Fastnet Rock mare Bayrock, was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $625,000.
Photo: Trish Dunell

Te Akau Racing and Savabeel go together like peas and carrots, with no less than 10 Group One winners to emerge from the operation by Waikato Stud’s flagbearing stallion. 

Te Akau alumni Noverre, Embellish and Cool Aza Beel are Group One winning Savabeel colts now standing at stud, while Probabeel, The Perfect Pink, Hall Of Fame, Savy Yong Blank, Sword of Osman, Amarelinha and Prise De Fer are other Group One winners for the stable by the sire.

Eight-time champion New Zealand sire Savabeel notched his 130th stakes winner on Saturday when the Stephen Marsh-trained Mazzolino won the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham and boasts an incredible 10.9 percent stakes winners to runners.

Windsor Park Stud principal Rodney Schick was delighted with the result and is excited to see what he will do on the race track in Te Akau’s tangerine and blue silks in years to come.

“It is a fantastic price. He is a beautiful animal and DC (Ellis) is a fantastic judge. I am really excited about his racing future,” Schick said.

“It is a beautiful page and Savabeel does such a great job, I am sure he is going to be well-represented on the racetrack with this colt.”

Schick was buoyed by the strong start at Karaka despite the inclement weather, with Windsor Park selling colts by Pierro ($330,000) and Russian Revolution ($200,000) within the first 50 lots. “It (rain) probably gets everyone in the auditorium and keeps them dry. It looks like a pretty solid sale at this stage and I hope it continues,” Schick said.

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