Waikato sale record price achieved for Star Way colt

Press, 28 January 1988, Page 39

Waikato sale record price achieved for Star Way colt

PA Hamilton A record price of $lBO,OOO for an exceptional Star Way colt, and a further increase in the average price, kept interest high on the second day of Wrightson Bloodstock’s Twenty-Second Waikato Yearling Sale at Claudelands yesterday. After a relatively slow start in the first few hours of the second session, the Claudelands Showgrounds came alive in mid-after-noon when a rich chestnut colt by the champion stallion, Star Way, entered the sale ring. Offered by Windsor Park (home of Star Way), the outstanding yearling has breeding to comple-

ment his good looks. He is out of the winning Sir Tristram mare, Eustaci, and therefore a brother to the fine sprinting prospect, Sirstaci, second to Courier Bay in the group one Wrightson Handicap (1200 m at Trentham last Saturday. He is also bred on the same cross, of Star Way with a Sir Tristram mare, as the group one winning filly, Wellington Hammer. The colt was bought by Mr Bruce Maiden, of Auckland, who also owns Sirstaci, at a price $20,000 above the previous Waikato record. The previous record was set 12 months ago, and held jointly by a Veloso half-sister to the stakes winners, Eastern Joy and Josette Nicole, and a chestnut brother to Sirstaci and yesterday’s record lot. The Windsor Park Stud proprietor, Mr Nelson Schick, who sold a toppriced Waikato yearling for the third time in the

last 10 years yesterday, considers the Star Way colt to be one of the best youngsters he has bred. The colt’s pedigree, although not steeped in black type, is impressive. The family has produced such class performers as Styleman, Napredak, Wandering Ways, Abbejurrah, Whitiora and Arga — the colts grand-dam. The second-best price yesterday, and of the two days of the sale to date, was $120,000 — paid by the leading Sydney trainer, Paul Sutherland, for a striking grey colt by new sire, Kingsbridge, from the Faringdon mare, Golden 11. Offered on account of Redoubt Farm at Papatoetoe, the colt was among an impressive first draft from Kingsbridge. He is well-related, being a half-brother to the good race mare, Passakiss. Two lots made $BO,OOO, the third highest price of the day. Associated Thoroughbred Properties, New South Wales, went to that figure to secure a grey One Pound Sterling halfsister to the group one winners, Goleen (V.A.T.C. 1000 Guineas) and Judyann (A.J.C. Flight Stakes), which was offered by the Lotus Park Stud, at Cambridge. The Sydney trainer, Brian Mayfield-Smith, outlaid the same for a grey Three Legs colt, from the Brigand mare, Easy Dear, a half-sister to Soeasy, and the useful Hagenblu and Fortunate, which was offered by Fayette Park, Matamata. The highest passing yesterday was the $42,500 refused by White Robe Lodge, Mosgiel, for a chestnut Noble Bijou filly from the Beaufort Sea mare Copernicus. A final bid of $37,500 was also not sufficient to secure a brown Famous Star colt from the Red Lord mare, High Society, offered by Manurewa’s

Haunui Farm. Australian buyers purchased 106 yearlings. The leader was Sutherland, who has now outlaid almost $550,000 for 14 yearlings at an average of $38,428. Haunui Farm continue to lead vendors, having sold 25 lots for $655,500 (average $26,220). Allegra Park is also right in the picture, having parted with 11 yearlings for $454,000 (average $41,272). Yesterday 251 yearlings came up for auction, 193 changing hands for an aggregate of $4,155,000. Fifty-eight lots were passed in and the average price for those sold was $21,528, nearly $7OO more than on the first day of selling. Twenty-five lots were withdrawn from the second day catalogue. For the first two days the aggregate has reached $7,719,000 (364 yearlings sold). The average price has been $21,206, slightly less than yesterday’s average of $21,528. To date 133 yearlings have been passed in, and 63 withdrawn. The sale ends today.