Photo: Kirsten Ledington
The colts had taken centre-stage on the opening day at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale before lot 168, a well-bred daughter of Too Darn Hot, entered the Karaka auditorium and was knocked down for $675,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent James Harron.
Presented through the draft of Curraghmore, the filly is out of So You Think mare On The Ball, who was a placegetter at two, while her half-brother Swords Drawn is a multiple-Group Three performer, with Group Three winner Vigor Winner also in the family.
On The Ball has swiftly made her mark as a broodmare, producing Group One performer Archaic Smile, and Roadcone, who has won two from four in Australia.
Harron combined with Sydney trainer Michael Freedman and Tony Fung to form a fillies’ partnership to secure the filly.
“All the team loved her and she is the one we all came together on,” Harron said.
“She is just a very classy filly from a lovely family, a very exciting stallion from a very good farm in Curraghmore who just keeps getting winner after winner. A lovely filly with a lovely profile, it all stacked up and we were glad to get her.”
While scouting fillies to purchase at Karaka, Harron indicated they were aiming to source an Oaks-type in favour of the early juvenile prospects.
“When we are looking for the fillies over here, we are looking for what New Zealand does well and that is the mile, mile-and-a-half fillies who can maybe get over that Oaks distance,” he said.
“She certainly had that classic look about her. She had a lovely attitude, nice long movement, very economical in how she did everything.
“Through the year, we will pick up our two-year-old types. We wanted a more diverse spread of fillies that are going to do different things and that was the idea behind the strategy with the group before the start of this year.
“She is very important to that strategy because she exemplifies everything we are looking for at this sale. She’s a lovely filly who has got that classic look with the right farm behind her and the right pedigree, let’s just hope we get a bit of luck.”
