Michael Hickmott went to $110,000 to secure Lot 855, the Showcasing colt out of the Milan Park draft. Photo: Trish Dunell

Australian trainer Michael Hickmott has made his presence felt at Karaka from the start of the National Yearling Sale and was at it again on the second day of the Book 2 session.

Hickmott secured five yearlings from the Book 1 sale outlaying a total of $940,000 with a top price of $300,000 for the Vadamos colt from the family of multiple stakes winner Merion that was consigned through the Valachi Downs draft.

Hickmott added three further individuals to his growing tally on the first day of Book 2 and provided one of the early highlights on Thursday when he went to $110,000 to secure Lot 855, the Showcasing colt out of the Milan Park draft.

Hickmott won a spirited bidding duel on behalf of one of his Melbourne owners along with some Hong Kong interests.

“I will be staying in the horse along with a good Melbourne client and some Hong Kong clients,”

 Hickmott said.

“We’ll get him going early and look to either get him back here for the Karaka Million or he will make a lovely colt to send to Hong Kong.

“Shaun Phelan will break him in here for me and we’ll let the dust settle before we decide how soon to take him back to Australia.

“He will be up and going early and I was pleased to see there were a number of really good judges on him.”

Hickmott advised he still had unfinished business at the sale and was looking to purchase further horses throughout the day.

“There are a couple of really nice colts we’re interested in later in the day,” he said.

“I love New Zealand, this sale and the way they raise the horses.

“They’ve all been naturally grown out on beautiful pastures by great horsemen and women. They don’t push their horses and it is a great place to leave them here to develop and grow.

“Across the board (this sale) there have been some really good horses and overall the quality has been great.”