By Adam Hamilton
The top lot of Australia’s inaugural Nutrien Yearling Sale is heading to NZ.
The Victorian-based Jean Feiss broke her recent trend to buy exclusively at the NZ yearling sales when she splurged $180,000 on a Bettors Delight colt out of former star Kiwi filly Our Golden Goddess yesterday (Sunday).
“He’s the first yearling I’ve bought in Australia since Sicario five years ago,” Feiss said. “He’s already booked to fly across to NZ to Hayden (Cullen).
“I really liked this colt and the clincher was the fact he’d been paid-up for the NZ Sires Stakes. I’d urge everyone to pay-up for as many of those futurity races as possible.”
The now Victorian-based Nathan Purdon took home four yearlings, including the $90,000 Bettors Delight-Miss Hazel colt.
Former Kiwi, now Victorian-based Tim Butt, splurged on six yearlings, including $90,000 for a trotting colt by Quaker Jet out of Glenferrie Burn offered by Yabby Dams.
The trotting flavour at the sale was very strong and headlined by Alabar Farms paying $170,000 for a colt by Father Patrick out of Victoria Trotting Oaks and Derby winning mare Une Belle Allure.
“We’ve had a long association with Andy Gath and we think he’s the best trainer of trotters in Australia, so that’s where he’s headed,” Alabar’s Brett Coffey said.
Another to turn heads was trainer Matty Craven paying $110,000 for an Art Major colt out of former brilliant Kiwi-bred mare Arms Of An Angel (by Elsu).
Across the two days of the Nutrien sale, 269 lots were offered, 205 for a clearance rate of 77.07 per cent. Sales totalled $6,400,000 at an average of $31,219.