The latest fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com gives buyers access to a pair of blue-blooded broodmare prospects that have recently been retired from the Te Akau Racing stable.
The first of these high-class offerings is the black-type performer Belle Of The Ball (NZ) (Savabeel).
Bred by Waikato Stud, she is by super-sire Savabeel out of two-time winner and Melbourne Group Two placegetter Lady Tatia (Duke Of Marmalade). Belle Of The Ball’s second dam is a sister to Group One winners Shogun Lodge (Grand Lodge), Singing The Blues (Bluebird) and Referral (Dr Grace).
David Ellis selected Belle Of The Ball from Waikato Stud’s draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2020, where he bought her for $300,000.
She had 22 starts for three wins and six placings, winning twice at Riccarton and once at Matamata. She also finished second in the Group Three Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham, second in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton, fourth in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton and fourth in the Listed Spring Classic (2000m) at Riccarton.
“She was a high-class mare who never had the best of luck on the racetrack, but she certainly showed a huge amount of ability,” Ellis said. “That placing in the Anniversary at Trentham was a top run from a long way back, finishing second behind her Group One-winning stablemate Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy).
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“Going forward, I think that breeders just won’t be able to get enough of these high-quality Savabeel mares. They’re going to be enormously valuable.”
An eight-time champion New Zealand sire and holding a dominant lead on the premiership in 2023-24, Savabeel is also making a name for himself as a broodmare sire. His daughters have so far produced 420 winners from 700 runners, with 26 stakes winners including Group One stars Savatoxl (Kuroshio), Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls) and Never Been Kissed (NZ) (Tivaci).
The other Te Akau offering on gavelhouse.com is the beautifully bred Never Forgotten (Fastnet Rock).
The three-year-old filly is a full-sister to the Group One Australian Oaks (2400) winner Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock), as well as Special Memories (Fastnet Rock), who was a black-type performer in the Te Akau tangerine.
“She comes from a wonderful family that we know very well,” Ellis said. “We had her sister Special Memories, who was placed at stakes level and also finished fourth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
“A daughter of Fastnet Rock of her quality is going to be a huge asset for any stud. I have no doubt that she’s going to leave magnificent foals.”
Fastnet Rock has an outstanding record as a broodmare sire. His daughters have been represented by 1269 winners from 1996 runners, with 110 individual stakes winners including the likes of Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega), Warm Heart (Galileo), Russian Emperor (Galileo) and Zougotcha (Zoustar). The latest gavelhouse.com fortnightly auction is now open for bidding with 75 Lots on offer and the first closing from 7pm (NZT) on Monday
