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Australian-based training partnership purchase four on first day Ready To Run Sale.
Due to coronavirus travel restrictions no foreign buyers, trainers or agents were able to attend the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, however that did nothing to quash the enthusiasm of Australian-based New Zealand trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young who purchased four lots on day one for an aggregate of NZ$792,500, headlined by colt by Waikato Stud's Savabeel (Zabeel), whom they paid NZ$400,000 for.
It was no surprise to see the the training partnership go the distance for son of Savabeel, given progeny of the stallion have handed them so much success in the past, most notably with Sangster, who Busuttin bought for NZ$19,000 at this sale in 2010 and saddled to victory in the 2011 edition of the Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m). More recently the pair enjoyed success with another son of Waikato Stud's multiple New Zealand champion sire when Albarado landed the Caulfield Classic (Gr 3, 2000m).
The training duo have very much targeted sons of Savabeel at the two-year-old in training sales this year, having purchased a pair of colts for an aggregate of $640,000 at last month's Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale, one of which was also offered by Ohukia Lodge.
While Busuttin admitted he was disappointed not to be able to physically inspect the horses himself, he was quick to praise the auction houses' new online bidding platform.
"We would rather be there than not, but it is what it is. I don't think we are too far away from hopefully Jacinda (Ardern, New Zealand Prime Minister) opening up the borders," Busuttin said.
"We have been using it (online bidding platform) for the last few sales now, it's pretty straight forward and very good."
Catalogued as Lot 3 and offered as part of the Ohukia Lodge draft, the Savabeel colt was purchased by that operation for NZ$220,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale earlier this year from the Waikato Stud draft and he clocked a time of 10.52 seconds for his breeze-up.
The colt is out of unraced Pins (Snippets) mare On Broadway, meaning his is bred on the same cross as 13 stakes winners, including three Group 1 winners in Savvy Coup, Probabeel and Brambles.
On Broadway herself is out of Burwood Road (O'Reilly), making her a sister to stakes-placed pair Pins On Parade and Dower - the dam of Listed winner and Group 1-placed Dowager Queen (Savabeel).
Further back this is the same family as Group 1 winner Swick (O'Reilly).
While not able to physically inspect the horse, Busuttin said he was able to take advantage of a couple of trusted people on the ground to inspect the colt on his behalf and allay any concerns.
"I thought his breeze-up was very good and the feedback I had from the people who looked at him in New Zealand for me was that they thought he was the best horse on the sales ground on type. He ticked all the boxes," Busuttin said.
"There are plenty of good people over there looking at them, so maybe that is the way of the future.
"There is nothing like being there yourself but we were confident in the people who were looking at him for us."
Busuttin wasn't surprised he had to go to NZ$400,000 for the colt but he said that was his limit.
"I thought I might have to go that high, I was hoping not," Busuttin said. "We thought we would have to pay between NZ$300,000 and NZ$400,000. That was our last bid, we wouldn't have gone much more than that."
Busuttin was happy to purchase the colt from Ohukia Lodge, having had a good relationship with Jamie and Chanel Beatson, who were very complimentary of the colt before the sale.
"We have got a good relationship with Ohukia Lodge," Busuttin said. "They break in a lot of our horses in New Zealand. Jamie gave this horse a big rap in particular, and you have full confidence that they know what a good horse is."
The colt will now fly to Melbourne and will be set for an early three-year-old campaign next year for a group of owners, including Hong Kong's Ben Kwok.
"We have got a good client, Ben Kwok, he races a nice two-year-old with us in Australia and he has gone in again for a significant share. It's good to have him onboard," Busuttin said.
"The colt will make a nice 1600 metre to 2000 metre middle distance horse. We will get him over to Australia and give him a month off.
"A three-year-old campaign will be his go."
Ohukia Lodge sold six lots for NZ$1,030,000 on the first day and Jamie Beatson said he was pleased with the way the buyers responded to the Savabeel colt.
"We are very pleased," said Beaston. "We thought a fair bit of the colt, we obviously paid good money as a yearling for him and we had a fair bit of interest in him heading into the sale. But the situation we are in at the moment, puts doubts in your mind a bit, but we are pleased with that.
"He is going to a good stable who will give him every chance and we are looking forward to seeing him on the track."
Later on in the afternoon, Busuttin and Young put their faith once again in Ohukia Lodge, when they went to NZ$220,000 for a colt by Arrowfield Stud-based sire Dundeel (High Chaparral).
Catalogued as Lot 95, the Australian-bred colt who Okukia Lodge purchased for NZ$15,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka National Yearling Sale from Hallmark Stud for NZ$15,000 and he breezed in a time of 10.39 seconds.
The colt is out of three time-winning O'Reilly (Last Tycoon) mare Tralee Chorus, who is herself a three-quarter sister to the dam of multiple Group 1 winner Daffodil (No Excuse Needed).
The colt hails from the same family as Group 1 winner Good Faith (Straight Strike) - the dam of Group 3 scorer Tully Dane (Danehill) and Listed scorer Mygoodgrace (Royal Academy), while she is also the grandam of Group 2 winner Believe Yourself (Sebring) and Listed scorer Tavy (Tavistock).
"He was a bit small and quite weak as a yearling but he has done incredibly well," Ohukia's Beatson said.
"We bought him from Hallmark Stud and Mark Baker told us he was there for sale, he was owned by some Australian owners who were keen to sell.
"He is a lovely horse and he breezed beautifully. He has such a big stride on him."
Meanwhile the training partnership also purchased a pair of horses from Riverrock Farm - another Savabeel colt and a gelding by Windsor Park shuttler Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit), who they paid NZ$120,000 and NZ$52,500 for respectively.
Savabeel meanwhile had three lots sell on Wednesday for a total of NZ$1,045,000 at an average of NZ$348,333.