Lot 241, the Tivaci colt out of Ruqqaya, was the first yearling on day two of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale to hit the $500,000 mark when knocked down to the bid of bloodstock agent Bruce Perry.

A half-brother to dual Group One winner Grunt, the colt was the pick of the sale for Perry who admitted he was surprised he was able to secure him for $500,000.

“I didn’t think I would get him, I was tapped out,” Perry said.

“He’s for a colts syndicate. Each year we come and buy two or three yearlings.

“He was just the horse we wanted. He was the pick of the sale on type and he is what I look for, I love the horse.”

Perry was pleased to secure a son of first season sire Tivaci and said the colt’s future lies across the Tasman.

“I do like the Tivaci’s. I was an underbidder on him as a yearling. We bought back into him and ended up buying him with Waikato Stud.

“We will break him in here and send him over to Australia,” he said.

Brent Taylor was thrilled with the result, particularly with Trelawney’s strong links on both sides of the pedigree.

“We were very excited about the prospect of selling that horse,” he said. “It is a family we have had a bit to do with over the years.

“We loved Sayidda (granddam) when she was racing and we are really happy that she expressed her ability through Ocean Park and Grunt.

“I thought this horse from day one was an outstanding colt. He has taken the pressure of the prep and the sale very well. I just loved him and thought he is a great opportunity for Bruce and his partners.”

Taylor was also delighted to get such a good result for Waikato Stud stallion Tivaci who Trelawney also has strong links with.

“He is a stallion we saw when he was racing before Waikato Stud bought him and we invested with them,” he said.

“We have got some emotional attachment because we bred the dam of Tivaci, so we know the family particularly well.

“To match those families together has been fantastic.”

Lot 243, the Ocean Park filly, was purchased by Peter Moody for $450,000.  Photo credit: Trish Dunell

Two lots later Taylor was celebrating the sale of lot 243, the Ocean Park filly out of dual Group Two winner Ruud van Slaats, who was knocked down to the $450,000 bid of Peter Moody who is set to return to the Australian trainers ranks later this year.

Lot 247, the I Am Invincible colt, was purchased by David Ellis for $625,000.  Photo: Trish Dunell

Trelawney’s morning was about to get better with Te Akau principal David Ellis going to $625,000 to secure lot 247, the I Am Invincible colt out of Sancerre.

“He is a beautiful colt and Mark Pilkington was the underbidder, who I regard as one of the best judges in the world, so it was great that such a great eye saw the same as what we did,” Ellis said.

“He is a really precocious colt, a lot of class, a lot of strength and beautifully balanced.

“We just loved him the moment we saw him and he just ticks all the boxes.”

Ellis was full of praise for Trelawney Stud after the sale.

“He was bred by one of our great nurseries of all time and some of the best horses New Zealand has ever produced have come off that farm,” he said.

“Brent and Cherry Taylor are taking it to another level. They are just unbelievable operators and really good supporters of Te Akau Racing, so it was nice to be able to buy such a nice colt off them.”

Taylor was delighted with the result and is looking forward to following the colt’s future on the track.

“He is a ripping colt who has taken the pressure of the sale well,” Taylor said. “ He is a beautiful moving horse, and I would like to think he will be up on our stallion wall in the future.”

The sale concluded one of the more memorable sessions at Karaka for Trelawney Stud and Taylor said it was great to see more than 20 years of breeding come to fruition on Monday.

“When we first took over Trelawney Stud 20-something years ago we bought a mare called Real Success. She was our first major purchase and from that has come the results we have seen today, along with Loire this season on the track.

“It is a great game played slowly and we have become an overnight success in the last 23 years.”