By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
He’s harness racing’s hype horse. And now both Marketplace’s mum and sister are up for sale.
Gavelhouse Standardbred is currently selling Cullen Who, the dam of the sensational Marketplace, and also his weanling full sister. Cullen Who is Lot 14, the weanling is Lot 1.
Adding to Cullen Who’s value is the fact that she is in foal. Cullen Who won five races before starting her broodmare career where she’s had five progeny, all by Bettor’s Delight.
Marketplace so far has been the stand out. The 2024 NZ 2YO Colt/Gelding Pacer of the Year and multiple Group 1 winner has won seven of his last eight races and is widely recognized as a future superstar. Cullen Who has also left two black-type performers in nine-race winner Who’s Delight and Who’s Bettor.
Cullen Who, the 12-year-old daughter of Christian Cullen, has given her connections including well-known race caller George Simon the ride of a lifetime but they believe now is the right time to sell their stellar mare.
“Myself, Tony Barron, Gordon McKenzie and Tony Clark bought her after she won her first race at Forbury Park and then she won about four or five races for us,” Simon told NZB Standardbred.
“A couple of the boys said that maybe we should sell Cullen Who (last year). At that stage she was in-foal and we asked around but there were no takers, so we carried on. Just after that Marketplace came out and started winning everything in sight.”
His success changed the game.
“We got together again and had a bit of a chat about it and we thought if the feeling was that there were a couple in the group that wanted to sell, now is the time to strike on the back of what Marketplace has done, and we thought the best and fairest way to do it was is to put her on Gavelhouse Standardbred and let the market decide.”
The ownership group also decided to put up for auction Marketplace’s full sister, a weanling. She is at $62,500 has met her reserve while Cullen Who has not yet met her reserve. She is at $80,000 though the auction only went live last evening.
“This is an opportunity to buy into the family with the filly or buy the family jewels, which is the mare in-foal to Bettor’s Delight,” says Simon.
The pair are part of a 19 Lot catalogue that closes on Wednesday, April 9 at 7pm.
To see the auction click here
