Cambridge trainer Glen Harvey will be looking to cap what has been a memorable week in style when he lines-up Miss Ipenema (NZ) (Sacred Falls) and Brix (NZ) (Sweynesse) in the Listed Fasttrack Insurance 2YO Stakes (1100m) at Pukekohe on Saturday.
Earlier in the week, just down the road at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka sales complex, Harvey sold two horses at the Ready To Run Sale, and recorded a pleasing profit on lot 120, the Reliable Man gelding out of Zabeel mare Ziffel.
He had purchased the gelding for $5,100 on gavelhouse.com and sold him for $230,000 on Wednesday, while a day later her sold lot 161, the Rubick gelding out of Group One performer Calm Smytzer, for $60,000.
“It was a pretty awesome feeling,” he said.
“The Rubick, I had him on a par with the Reliable Man, if not ahead of him. But that’s the hard thing being the first lot in on the second day.
“He was sold to a friend of mine in Singapore, Jason Ong. He is an up and coming trainer so if they get a result you get repeat business.
“I thought New Zealand Bloodstock did an amazing job this year getting the buyers to the sales and having the new online bidding platform, which was amazing.”
While Harvey is still buzzing from the results, he is looking forward to racing at Pukekohe on Saturday where he will attempt to gain some black-type for his pair of juvenile fillies.
Miss Ipenema heads into the Fasttrack 2YO Stakes off the back of two placings and a last start win, defeating Saturday’s race favourite Quattro Quinta by a length.
“Last start was the first time where she has been 100 percent right,” Harvey said. “I was pretty confident the other day.
“When I saw that Te Akau horse (Quattro Quinta) when they were in a bit of a fight the other day, it was never going to get past her. That’s the attitude she has got.”
The daughter of Sacred Falls has drawn barrier nine, while stablemate Brix has drawn barrier two.
“The only concern that I have got with them is that I would have liked Miss Ipenema to have drawn barrier two and Brix to draw out wide,” Harvey said.
While Miss Ipenema is the more fancied runner, Harvey said Brix has been luckless in her three starts to date.
“In her first start she drew out wide and ran the fastest last 400m of the race,” he said. “In her second start she knuckled down going out of the gates, so you have got to wipe those two off.
“The other day, down in Palmerston North, it was the same thing. She just had no luck. She got posted out wide, so I thought it was a good effort.
“I have always had a big opinion of her and it would not surprise me if she blew them away tomorrow.”
Both fillies were purchased by Harvey at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale earlier this year, and a tilt at the rich Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January is on the cards for the pair.
“They looked like two horses that would get up and go early and they were pretty good buying at $20,000 (Miss Ipenema) and $45,000 (Brix),” Harvey said.
“When you have got fillies you would like to get that residual value of getting some black-type. The aim is to go to the Karaka Million, but getting that valuable black-type is the biggest thing for us.”
Miss Ipenema has been installed a $6 third favourite by TAB Bookmakers for Saturday’s contest, behind Quattro Quinta ($3.20) and Beldarra ($3.60), while Brix is further down the market as a $23-winning chance.
