A strong resemblance to Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) winner Jameka led to the first $500,000 sale at Karaka on Sunday.

Leading Australian trainer Ciaron Maher was taken back by the similarities between lot 28, the Showcasing colt out of Don Eduardo mare Khales, and his former star galloper.

He was adamant he would secure the half-brother to dual stakes winner Bahana and left racing manager Will Bourne in charge of bidding duties.

“Ciaron got off the plane this morning and said if I don’t buy this horse I will lose my job,” Bourne quipped. “It was Ciaron’s pick of the sale and I still wanted to be employed on Monday.

“We had a look at him on Saturday morning and then we came back that afternoon and he just said that was the horse on the complex that he wants.

“He said he really reminded him of Jameka. The way she walked was very similar to him and he was taken back by him and loved him.”

Trainer Ciaron Maher.  Photo credit: Supplied

Maher purchased the colt for $500,000 out of Haunui Farm’s draft in partnership with Louis Le Metayer of Astute Bloodstock and both parties were happy with their purchase.

“We have done a bit of business with Astute over the years,” Bourne said. “I saw Louis Le Metayer looking at the horse this morning and went over and said instead of us bidding against each other why don’t we buy him together.”

Le Metayer was impressed by the colt and was delighted to secure a yearling from the final New Zealand crop of former Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Showcasing.

“He (Showcasing) has two Group One winners at Royal Ascot in his first two crops, his oldest are only four-years-old, he has about six percent stakes winners-to-runners and his service fee has gone up to 50,000 pounds,” Le Metayer said.

“They are the last ones in New Zealand and the mare has produced a stakes winner, so there’s a lot to like.”