By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
Kimberly Butt can scarcely believe what happened at this week’s NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale in Christchurch.
In a bit over two hours she signed off on three yearlings for a combined price tag of $350,000.
“It was something you only dream of, it was incredible, a real pinch yourself moment,” says Butt
And it all revolves around big spending Australian Joshua Davine and his N40 Racing. He was in direct contact from Sydney at the time.
“Kim was getting a bit nervous on the phone and I was giving her reassurance and saying ‘bid more one, go again!’,” says Davine.
“Josh has been a friend and an owner of ours for a long time now, we met him through mutual friends a few years ago.”
“The Next Gen concept came out and he was keen to amongst it,” says Butt, “he’s the owner and I’m the trainer.”
Davine has interests in around 15 horses in this country and many more across the Tasman.
“I would say that Next Gen meant I spent double what I was going to spend anyway,” Davine says.
Released late last year, Next Gen is Harness Racing New Zealand’s new ownership model which aims to make racing more attractive to young people and to promote emerging horses and trainers. Thanks to partners TAB NZ and NZB Standardbred, the scheme will go for three years, at the very least.
To be eligible you have to buy a horse at the yearling sales and then fit one of the following three criteria
1. Buy a Next Gen-eligible yearling (there were 70 at the sales)
2. Buy any yearling at the sales and have it trained by a non-Group 1 winning trainer
3. Buy any yearling and have an ownership group that includes 30 per cent of people aged under 40
For those horses that are Next Gen eligible there will be $600,000 in bonuses for them in their 2YO seasons.
“Next Gen was a big push for him to go to the Yearling sales and that’s when I came in – not being a Group 1 winning trainer,” says Butt, “and all horses were eligible for it for me and it all snowballed into what happened yesterday.”
When the NZB catalogue came out Davine came up with his “list”‘ and Butt did the same along with fiancé and fellow trainer-driver Jonny Cox.
“Jonny and I then went and cross referenced what we liked and what Josh liked and we narrowed it down.”
“By the time the sales rolled around we had a handful that we liked and all three were on that list.”
The three they ended up with were :
Lot 261, a brother to Group 1 winner and 2023 NZ Cup runner-up Akuta – $130,000
Lot 302, a Captaintreacherous – Cullens Bet colt – $80,000
Lot 319, a Captaintreacherous – Elusive Chick filly – $140,000
“I was really happy ,” says Davine, “especially the brother to Akuta. He was cheaper than he could have been.”
There were 17 Next Gen sires represented at the sales, with 45 of their yearlings sold over the two days. The top Next Gen yearling was a Face Time Bourbon – Dance Craze colt that sold for $240,000. In total four went for over $100,000.
“Next Gen has been very successful and you can tell it impacted on the two days at both Karaka and Christchurch,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden.
“It takes a bit to get your head around but once you explain it people love the concept and that showed with the response.”
“There were a lot of people talking about it.”
As for Butt she has two of the new yearlings at their Leeston property already with the third to arrive in the next week or so.
“You can’t make a set plan with horses but we will put a lot of time and effort to get these ones up as quickly as they allow us to and with Next Gen there is a push to get them up and going as 2YOs.”
For Butt this is a huge break in her training career and one she is hugely grateful for.
“The amount of support and congratulations I’ve had is incredible.”
The NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale – “a great week for harness racing”
A record-breaking NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale has concluded with the two day total surpassing $13m.
“It was a great week for harness racing, our expectations have far been exceeded,” says NZB Standardbred Manager Cam Bray.
After opening at Karaka on Saturday the sales moved to Christchurch yesterday, with 233 yearlings selling at an average of $56,298, more than $9000 or 17 per cent up on last year.
“Buyers were incredibly active, including the Australians, Canadians, and of course the Kiwis.” says Bray.
Industry heavyweights Stonewall Stud led the way on both days. They spent nearly $2m on 18 yearlings.
In Auckland the $360,000 they spent on two Captaintreacherous colts, out of champion mares Adore Me and Bettor Twist, eclipsed the previous NZB Yearling record of $340,000 set last year.
The top lot in Christchurch was the $270,000 Cran Dalgety (Kentuckiana Lodge) paid for a Bettor’s Delight – Imagine Me colt.
“He just looks so much like Krug, a replica, if he’s as fast we don’t know,” says Dalgety.
Krug was a multiple Group 1 winner and former NZ Derby winner for Dalgety.
“I paid overs for him but I’m hoping I’ll say he was cheap in 12 months.”
Dalgety also bought a full brother to his current stable star, Auckland and Invercargill Cup winner Republican Party for $150,000.
“I walk away from here excited.”
“We’ve been able to lift all the metrics on a lesser number of horses so that’s got to be a positive sign of how our buyers see the market and it’s pleasing that our breeders have been rewarded,” says Bray.
For Pat Driscoll of powerhouse Victorian breeders Yabby Dam farms, it was the first time he’d sold his yearlings at the sales. Included in his offerings was a Bird Parker – Nieta colt, bought by Stonewall Stud for $180,000 .
“It’s probably gone better than I thought, hats off to NZB and Harness Racing New Zealand.”
Current Breeders of the Year Todd and Fleur Anderson of Taffy Limited agreed. They bred the top Christchurch lot sold to Kentuckiana and also a half brother to New Zealand Pacer of the Year Merlin for $160,000.
“There are a lot of things happening in the industry that’s made a bigger crowd here and more money to go around,” says Todd Anderson.
Total sales over the two days was $13.1m – that is over $1m more than last year.
“It just shows you the positivity of our industry,” says Bray.
