Wairarapa’s Ardsley Stud enjoyed a red-letter day at Karaka on Thursday as they produced two memorable pieces of magic in the auction ring.
Principal Jim Wallace had been expecting good things from their thirteen-strong draft over the Book 1 & 2 sessions of the National Yearling sale but was staggered by the results on the second day of Book 2 as they produced the equal best price of $150,000 for the Thursday session as well as the fourth best for good measure.
Wallace started day two with a bang as their Per Incanto colt, Lot 785 was knocked down to the $130,000 bid of agent Phill Cataldo who was acting for clients Upper Bloodstock.
Nearly four hours later the day got better for Wallace when Lot 908, a Satono Aladdin colt was sold to Singapore buyer Mr Pang for $150,000.
Wallace was feeling a little stunned after witnessing the bidding duel for the colt who had a number of good judges chasing him, including trainer Roger James who was the underbidder.
“I’m very very pleased as it takes a lot of work from everyone to get these results,” he said.
“We had thirteen altogether over the whole sale and I think we have got them all away bar one.
“We have had a very good sale overall.”
Wallace had set a moderate target for the Per Incanto colt, who is from a daughter of well performed racemare Yanna Marie who won nine races including the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m).
“Before the sale I thought we might be able to get around $70,000 for the colt,” he said.
“Once I saw how the Per Incantos were going I said to the owner that he would make $120,000 and he exceeded that.”
Wallace was convinced however that the Satono Aladdin colt could better that target.
“This colt (Lot 908) was one of the best horses I’ve ever put through a sale,” he said.
“He is an absolutely outstanding individual. He probably doesn’t have a $150,000 pedigree but he is a $150,000 colt on type.
“He was very popular in his parades and had 15-16 hits on his x-rays. You know there is something about a horse when a number of good judges are hanging around until so late in the sale.”
It was a case of old dogs learning new tricks as Wallace was given a crash course in bolstering his online presence by his sons and daughter.
“I think the sale has exceeded all of our expectations to be honest,” he said.
“The good horses made good money, there has been a broad spectrum of buyers and the online system has worked very well.
“For someone of my generation the whole online thing can be a bit of a mystery.
“My two sons and my daughter have kept me up to the mark and have dragged me kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
“It has been a steep learning curve, but I think we can make improvements as it is the way of the future.”
Photo Credit: Trish Dunell
Earlier in the day a Wandjina colt out of the O’Reilly mare Home Alone, Lot 826, went for $150,000 to the bid of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Andrew Seabrook, acting on behalf of Wexford Stable’s Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott.
Te Awamutu breeder Heidi Richardson, who presented the colt under her own banner with the assistance of Curraghmore, was delighted with the result.
“I am blown away,” she said.
“I actually bought the mare online in Australia and I really liked her bloodlines.
“She got sent up to my brother, Blair Richardson, in the Hunter Valley. He is a breaker and pre-trainer at Vantage Hill.
“I had a quick five-minute conversation with him and next minute I flew over there to find a stallion to put her to.
“I went to Newgate and liked Wandjina on type and she got in foal first pop.
Richardson was quick to pay credit to her neighbour Gordon Cunningham, whose Curraghmore presented the horse on her behalf.
“He is a close friend of mine and I asked him about the mare and the bloodlines and he has come and seen the horse the whole way through, so we’re pretty happy and very impressed with how he has turned the horse out,” she said.
A radiographer by trade, Richardson has a broodmare agistment property.
“I am normally foaling down other people’s horses, and this is my first dabble into the breeding side of things myself and I am just blown away.
“I have now got a Pins mare and a Reliable Man filly, in addition to Home Alone, who has a Reliable Man filly and is in foal to Turn Me Loose, so you’re going to see a lot more horses under my banner,” she said.
