Photo: Angelique Bridson
Former Group One-winning harness racing driver Simon Lawson experienced one of the biggest moments of his career at Karaka on Monday when he turned a $500 purchase into $300,000.
Lawson underwent a code switch five years ago when he began to work for Waikato Stud and elected to fully commit to the thoroughbred breeding industry, subsequently purchasing a share in the farm’s resident stallion Noverre.
In search of a mare to send to the Group One winner, Lawson happened to come across an unraced Jimmy Choux mare Serenalla on gavelhouse.com and was taken by her pedigree, which featured some familiar names from his time at Waikato Stud.
“I own a share in Noverre and I was looking for a mare that was suitable for him. I loved her grandmother, Keepa Cheval, who is the mother of The Bostonian, we had her at the farm there for a while,” said Lawson, who is now the dry mare manager at Waikato Stud.
“She came up online and she had a few injuries, she had broken her wither and her knee, and that is probably why she was so cheap.”
Lawson’s $500 bid secured the mare, and she duly visited Noverre, with the resulting mating producing a colt, who went through the Karaka sales ring as part of Waikato Stud’s draft as lot 282 on Monday.
The colt had attracted plenty of attention from prospective buyers, but it was Wexford Stables who came out on top with their final bid of $300,000.
“I loved the mare, I loved the stallion too and they produced a lovely colt. For him to make $300,000 and to go to Wexford is a dream come true,” Lawson said.
“There were a lot of good stables on him. He was going to find a nice home, but I am stoked he is going to Wexford.”
Lawson was welcomed back to the Waikato Stud barn to jubilant team members, and he said their support added immensely to the occasion.
“To get a result like that, the whole team are just so stoked and have worked so hard for me with my horse, it is just brilliant,” he said.
The sale continued a good run at Karaka for Lawson, who sold his first yearling at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 sale, with Australian trainer Phillip Stokes going to $80,000 to secure Lawson’s Tivaci colt out of Mohegan Star.
“By all reports he is going well,” Lawson said.
Lawson has now well and truly been bitten by the thoroughbred breeding bug and said he is in the industry, and Waikato Stud, for the long-term.
“I have been there (Waikato Stud) five years now and I will be there forever, it is just a great joint. Mark, Garry, Pip and Mary (Chittick) have looked after me so well,” he said.
“I have two mares of my own now and myself and our vet Matt (MacKee) have one together as well.
“I have got a full-brother to this guy to sell next year, and potentially another colt, so I am looking forward to that.”
