Waikato Stud resident stallion Super Seth was amongst the major highlight results on Day One of the National Yearling Sales series at Karaka when Patella Bloodstock’s Mike Kneebone outlaid $700,000 for a colt consigned as Lot 146 from the Pencarrow Stud draft.
Out of the stakes placed Danroad mare Irion, the colt is a half-brother to the stakes winning mares Zourion and Pearl of Alsace.
Irion is the daughter of Group Two winner Dopff with outstanding gallopers Octapussy, Pussy Willow, Valpolicella and Vilanova in his extended pedigree.
Acting on behalf of Hong Kong clients, Kneebone was determined to secure the colt from the moment he saw him.
“We’re really excited as when I first got over to New Zealand last Saturday as soon as I saw him come out of the box I was very keen on him,” Kneebone said.
“I thought he was going to be around that $400,000 to $500,000 mark, but my people were really strong on him and said, ‘if you like him, keep going’.”
Kneebone and the colt’s new owners will let the dust settle before making any decisions on his future.
“So, we’re not in any rush with him. We will send him out to the farm to be broken in and then decide on a trainer as we go forward,” he said.
“We haven’t really thought about that too much at this stage. We wanted to get a colt and we were looking for one who probably had a stallion’s pedigree.
“If you’re lucky enough to get one to win a Group One race or go on to be a very, very good racehorse, we felt he had that pedigree to go with the quality and as you can see, the mare produces a really nice type.
“We thought that (Group One win) might be in Australia but since the announcements from Entain and all the positiveness in New Zealand, that’s all of a sudden a big possibility for us now and that’s one of the reasons why we’re not discounting New Zealand for his initial racing.”
Kneebone was also complimentary about the progeny of former Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) winner Super Seth who currently has his first crop of two-year-olds on the track in New Zealand and Australia.
“I think he’s one of those sires on the rise,” he said.
“He’s had good sales all the way through, all the really good judges have bought them previously and I just think he’s got a really nice line of horses again this year.
“That’s always the risk, a sire that’s up and coming like that, but with the backing of Waikato Stud, he’s a good punt.”