Photo: Kirstin Ledington
It was an emotional scene at Karaka on Monday after the regally-bred full-sister to glamour mare Orchestral was sold for $2.4 million.
Fresh off Orchestral’s sensational win in Saturday’s $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m), there was plenty of interest in her Savabeel full-sister (lot 345), who was being offered through Haunui Farm’s draft at Karaka for breeders Barneswood Farm.
Expectations were high as eager spectators flocked into the Karaka auditorium to see the action unfold and they weren’t left disappointed, with the filly quickly surpassing the $1 million mark, and was soon north of $2 million, with bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster and leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller coming out on top with a final bid of $2.4 million.
Barneswood Farm’s Sarah Green cut an emotional figure at the drop of the gavel, coming to terms with the weight of what had unfolded, and she was left reflecting on passed family members who were instrumental in developing her love for racing.
“We were expecting interest, but never at that price. This is a fairytale,” said Green, who operates Barneswood Farm with her husband Chris, and business partner Ger Beemsterboer.
“My first Dad died when I was six months old, and he was a jockey. My stepfather was an owner-trainer and I just keep thinking how proud they would be.”
Family means everything to Green, and that has extended to her horses, and she admitted parting with the horses she breeds is the toughest part about their operation.
“I love my racing, my racing partner from the Netherlands loves his breeding, but you have got to have both,” she said.
“We get a different enjoyment out of it, and I love the racing side of it. I don’t so much the breeding side of it because you have got to sell your babies, it’s like selling your children, but this (sale results) dampens the pain.”
Barneswood Farm have had plenty of success buying out of Karaka, with Group One winners Desert Lightning, Media Sensation, Planet Rock, and Orchestral’s dam Symphonic just a number of their purchases, and that success has followed them into their role as vendors.
Orchestral was the farm’s previous highest priced sale when sold to Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $625,000 at Karaka three years ago, and while hopeful of surpassing that figure, Green’s expectations were well and truly exceeded on Monday.
“We were told there were five big players up to our reserve and then maybe three that would go above it,” Green said.
“We were hoping to get $1 million, it would have been our first ever sale that high, but to go that high ($2.4 million) is unbelievable.
“I never wanted to sell this filly, but my husband talked me into it, so he is off the hook now.”
While racing remains Green’s main love, breeding is quickly becoming a close second, with Orchestral’s racetrack success proving there is just as much excitement in watching the success of their graduates.
“I always thought when you breed a horse and you sold it you don’t get the same thrill from watching them, but you absolutely do,” she said.
“She is still like our baby, and I am sure Betty, who I named (yearling) at birth, will still be as exciting.”
While it was a bittersweet moment to part with “Betty” at Karaka, Green said her dam Symphonic has a full-sister foal at foot that they will retain.
Mulcaster and Waller were just as pleased to secure the filly, who they bought for bus transport magnate Glenn Ritchie.
“I looked at all the best-bred fillies here and I thought she was the best bred physical to match the beautiful pedigree, so that was what got us fired up,” Mulcaster said.
“Chris (Waller) looked at her quite a few times and we both agreed that she was probably the pick.
“We took our clients to see her this morning and we were lucky enough they buttered up and stumped up the money.
“We’ve been beaten on a few good fillies over the past couple of years. When they’ve got a good page and the physical to match, they’re going to make their money.
“She’s a lovely Savabeel who has a bit of growing to do, but she’s got a big deep girth, so fingers crossed.”
