Lot 45 Pentire x Royal Successor
Photo- Trish Dunell
Caulfield trainer Henry Dwyer felt confident he had most bases covered when he entered the bidding action for one of the glamour lots on offer on the first day of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Sale Series at Karaka today.
The only niggling doubt in his mind was just how much of a factor the "media hype" might affect the price on Lot 45, the Pentire colt from Mr Prospector mare Royal Successor who had found plenty of attention in the build-up to the sale as the little brother of fairytale 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance.
Dwyer already had knowledge on the immediate family of the colt that was offered through the draft of his breeder, Rich Hill Stud, having purchased the full sister at the 2014 edition of the sale for $110,000.
With Prince Of Penzance's winning jockey Michelle Payne in attendance and a throng of Australasian media watching on it was Dwyer who triumphed as he secured the colt for $200,000 after some spirited bidding.
"The Rich Hill draft was one of the first we saw when we got to Karaka and this guy definitely caught my eye," he said.
"He is built more in the mould of the filly we purchased two years ago as opposed to Prince Of Penzance who was quite backward as a yearling.
"This colt is a more precocious type and appeals as a good mile to middle distance horse which is what we were looking for."
Dwyer said he was prepared to go to between $300,000 and $350,000 for the colt and rated the final asking price as a real bargain.
"It all came down to how much people rated the fact he was a brother to a Melbourne Cup winner," said Dwyer.
"But that isn't all he's got going for him."
Dwyer was also quick to mention the hopes he has for the colt's older sister who had suffered a setback when being broken in.
"Unfortunately she went through a fence just after she was broken in so that put us back around 12 months," he said.
"She has come along nicely though and trialled very satisfactorily at Caulfield recently so I'm looking forward to her making it to the track on raceday."
While Dwyer may have been apprehensive about the media coverage before the sale he may have to become used to it as he was swamped with requests for interviews and photo calls with Payne and the colt in the immediate aftermath of the sale. – NZ Racing Desk
The only niggling doubt in his mind was just how much of a factor the "media hype" might affect the price on Lot 45, the Pentire colt from Mr Prospector mare Royal Successor who had found plenty of attention in the build-up to the sale as the little brother of fairytale 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance.
Dwyer already had knowledge on the immediate family of the colt that was offered through the draft of his breeder, Rich Hill Stud, having purchased the full sister at the 2014 edition of the sale for $110,000.
With Prince Of Penzance's winning jockey Michelle Payne in attendance and a throng of Australasian media watching on it was Dwyer who triumphed as he secured the colt for $200,000 after some spirited bidding.
"The Rich Hill draft was one of the first we saw when we got to Karaka and this guy definitely caught my eye," he said.
"He is built more in the mould of the filly we purchased two years ago as opposed to Prince Of Penzance who was quite backward as a yearling.
"This colt is a more precocious type and appeals as a good mile to middle distance horse which is what we were looking for."
Dwyer said he was prepared to go to between $300,000 and $350,000 for the colt and rated the final asking price as a real bargain.
"It all came down to how much people rated the fact he was a brother to a Melbourne Cup winner," said Dwyer.
"But that isn't all he's got going for him."
Dwyer was also quick to mention the hopes he has for the colt's older sister who had suffered a setback when being broken in.
"Unfortunately she went through a fence just after she was broken in so that put us back around 12 months," he said.
"She has come along nicely though and trialled very satisfactorily at Caulfield recently so I'm looking forward to her making it to the track on raceday."
While Dwyer may have been apprehensive about the media coverage before the sale he may have to become used to it as he was swamped with requests for interviews and photo calls with Payne and the colt in the immediate aftermath of the sale. – NZ Racing Desk