The latest fortnightly auction on gavelhouse.com has been given a black-type boost by the addition of quality racetrack performer Aromatic.

The grey daughter of Sacred Falls carried the tangerine colours of Te Akau Racing to three Group wins and another six stakes placings in a career that spanned five seasons.

“She’s been one of the most genuine mares that Te Akau has raced in the last few years,” Te Akau Principal David Ellis said.

“I bought her for $160,000 as a yearling at Karaka, and she provided so many thrills for her owners throughout her career.

“She showed a lot of ability right from day one, and we were always confident that she’d go on to win some good races. She did that, and one of the best things about her was that she just kept getting better and better with age. She had her best season as a six-year-old.

“She’s a very correct mare with an excellent pedigree – she comes from an outstanding family. She has a lot of quality about her and built up a lot of value with what she did on the racetrack.”

Aromatic was bred by Tony Rider and is out of the Group Three winner and Group One-performed Vickezzchardonnay, who is also the dam of the stakes-placed O’Reilly mare Splendido.

Initially trained by Jamie Richards and later by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, Aromatic had 32 starts for six wins, 14 placings and $419,300 in stakes – almost three times what Ellis paid to buy her at Karaka in 2018.

Aromatic showed bright promise from the beginning of her career, recording a win and two placings from her only three starts as a three-year-old and adding two further victories at four.

But she hit her greatest heights as a six-year-old, winning the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m), Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) and Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m). That standout campaign also produced placings in the Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m), Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m), Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) and Listed Staphanos Classic (1950m), and she was badly blocked in the straight when sixth in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).

“You just wish you had a stable full of horses like Aromatic,” Walker said after her Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes victory.

“She's just got the biggest heart and tries so hard, that's the key to her. She absolutely has a heart of gold and gives her best every time she goes out.”

The latest gavelhouse.com fortnightly auction boasts 63 Lots and is now open for bidding, with the first lot closing from 7pm (NZT) on Monday.