The Te Akau Stud supremo finished as the leading buyer for the day with a total of 14 purchases totalling $1.9 million. Included amongst the carefully selected equine bluebloods was a pair of colts that he had earmarked well before the selling action began at Karaka.
"We're putting a three horse syndicate together and I was determined to buy
what I thought were the two best colts in the catalogue along with the best
filly to make up the trio," he explained."I've bought those two now and all we need is the filly to make it come together."
The first of the two colts was Lot 58, a compact individual by Gr. 1 Oakleigh Plate winner Snitzel from Tale Of The Cat mare Mini Tales, that was knocked down to Ellis for $400,000. The colt is closely related to a raft of stakes performers and appeals as an early two-year-old type.
"He's out of filly that won three races as a two-year-old, and his sire was the second leading sire last season in Australia," he said.
"He is a gorgeous colt: sound, strong and well-muscled with good bone. He just looks a real racehorse and a genuine stallion prospect given the strength of stakes performers in his family."
Ellis also went to $400,000 to secure Lot 85, a colt by super sire Fastnet Rock
from the dam of Gr. 1 Doncaster Handicap winner Triple Honour."I rated him as one of the best Fastnet Rock colts in the sale, made all the better by exuding a sensational temperament," said Ellis. "He has a beautifully relaxed demeanour and is from a mare that has already left a group one winner and by a champion sire that can do no wrong.
"As a type, he is a smaller and more precocious individual by this sire and our opinion is that he can progress towards racing as an autumn two-year-old before aiming at the three year old classics.
Ellis has yet to secure the filly he has identified for his syndicate and wouldn't be drawn on any likely prospects on day two of the sale.
"My impressions of day one is that buyers have definitely been favoured although I expect that may change a little tomorrow," he said. – NZ Racing Desk.
