And it's been a spectacular entry for the Victorian breeder, who has hit the
jackpot with his first two purchases.Mithen, who operates Rosemont Stud near Geelong, is a part-owner of the crack three-year-old and current Gr.1 New Zealand Derby favourite Volkstok'n'barrel and the Gr.1 Levin Classic runner-up Sardaaj.
"I came over here in 1993 and watched Octagonal being sold," he said. "That was the first sale I had ever attended and I've been fascinated by it ever since.
"I love the people here and New Zealand is a great place to breed and grow out horses.
"Australians have been buying a lot of tried horses in Europe and I genuinely think New Zealand has been forgotten.
"We've been a bit spoiled getting into Volkstok'n'barrell and Sardaaj – it's been fantastic and this game is about having fun, whether it be racing colts, fillies or geldings."
While Volkstok'n'barrell will continue his future career from Donna and Dean Logan's Ruakaka yard, Sardaaj will be transferred from Stephen Marsh's Cambridge team to John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes in Melbourne.
"She's having a spell and will then head over," Mithen said. "She's nowhere near the finished product yet and I think she'll be a beautiful mile and a half horse later on."
Rosemont is home to stallions Starspangledbanner, Starcraft and Toorak Toff and Mithen and his wife Selina have also been in a vendor role at Karaka.
"We've sold four through Phoenix Park and Hallmark Stud, a couple of Toorak Toffs and we had a Savabeel sell for $150,000," he said.
"We bred him with Waikato Stud, he grew out with a foster mum at Windsor Park and sold him through Phoenix so we've been spreading the love!" – NZ Racing Desk.
