Smart Missile 2YOs in demand at Karaka
Such was the demand for Smart Missile’s progeny at this week’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale that he shaded his illustrious barn-mate Snitzel on the sire averages.
Three 2YOs by Smart Missile averaged $NZ266,667 – almost $NZ40,000 more than Snitzel’s four lots – and two of them sold for $NZ350,000.
Lot 80, out of city winner Cyclone Stacey (by Encosta de Lago), attracted brisk bidding before being knocked down to agent George Moore, buying for the champion Hong Kong stable of his father John. The gelding, an outstanding type from the highly successful Princess Tracy family, breezed up in 10.78 and was offered by Mark & Shelley Treweek’s Lyndhurst Farm.
Moore said, “Dad has a quality Smart Missile in the stable named Rocketeer who we think could be a Hong Kong Derby candidate so when this horse breezed up so well he was definitely on our radar.”
Mark Treweek credited the sale to the gelding’s progress through the year and his sire’s recent success. “The Smart Missiles have been performing well of late, especially in Hong Kong which is where he’s going.”
Rocketeer is one of four winners from Smart Missile’s first seven runners in Hong Kong.
On the second day of the Sale, Diamond Lodge offered Lot 305, the Smart Missile colt from Queen of Troy (by Storm Cat), with a breeze-up time of 11.18. He was one of four purchases by Tauranga couple Lou & Val Te Keeti and Matamata trainer Graham Richardson, so will remain in New Zealand.
Richardson said, “He really is a super type and just fits the bill in so many ways.
“He’s a lovely mover with a great attitude. Once the bidding got going I knew we were in for a fight, but Lou was determined we’d be taking him home.”
The two Smart was among the ten top-priced lots of the two-day auction which set fresh Australasian 2YO sale records across the board, completing transactions worth more than $NZ31 million at an average price of $NZ107,638.
The third Smart Missile entry was Lot 400, a gelding out of the Zeditave mare Tiffinco who breezed up in 10.80, was bought for $NZ100,000 by leading Singapore trainer Stephen Gray from the Kilgravin Lodge consignment.
Other notable sales for Arrowfield stallions were the $NZ300,000 Snitzel-Passiflora colt, bought by Busuttin Racing, the $NZ200,000 Not A Single Doubt-Je T’Aime colt, purchased by Victoria Peak Bloodstock and the $NZ100,000 Animal Kingdom-Only Roses colt sold to Sydney trainer Bjorn Baker.
John Street’s Lincoln Farms Bloodstock paid $NZ200,000 for the stylish Dundeel-Causeway Queen colt, presented by JK Farm for Nearco Stud.
The colt will be trained by Lisa Latta who already has an eye on his 3YO career. “He’s a really nice horse, a good walker and a lot like his Dad. He’ll go to the paddock now for a month and hopefully he’ll trial in the Autumn.”
Smart Missile, currently second on the Australian 3rd Season Sires’ list with $1.4 million prizemoney, has 22 yearlings catalogued for January’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale. They include two colts, one of them a half-brother to Group 1 winner Secret Agenda, and three fillies in the Arrowfield draft.
