The unreserved dispersal of highly respected horseman Hec Anderton’s estate has led to five members of an enormously successful South Island family being up for sale on gavelhouse.com.
All five descend from the mainland marvel Princess Mellay (Mellay), whose 18 wins included the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and two editions of the New Zealand Cup (3200m).
Princess Mellay went on to be a significant influence at stud, with five winning foals headed by the 19-race winner and triple Group One winner Prince Majestic (NZ) (Noble Bijou).
Countless other descendants have made their mark on the big stage, including Auckland Cup (3200m) winners Roger That (NZ) (Shinko King) and Trav (NZ) (Almanzor), Wellington Cup (3200m) and dual New Zealand Cup winner Blood Brotha (NZ) (Danzighill), Group Three winner and Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) placegetter King Johny (NZ) (Seasoned Star), and other Group winners such as De Montfort (NZ) (Random Chance), Parthesia (NZ) (Raise The Flag), Prince Oz (NZ) (O’Reilly), Ranger (NZ) (Random Chance) and The Bandette (NZ) (Noble Bijou) among others.
In fact, one of the five horses currently being offered from this family is herself a member of this stakes-winning list.
Loftys Gift (NZ) (Ghibellines) had 35 starts for eight wins, six seconds and $259,090 in stakes. She won the Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) and was runner-up in the Group Three South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
Loftys Gift is being offered in foal to White Robe Lodge’s exciting new stallion Alflaila.
“Hec Anderton, my grandfather Brian’s brother, passed away recently and he owned half of these five horses that are up for sale,” White Robe Lodge’s Jack Stewart said. “So they’re being sold to dissolve that partnership.
“These horses are all from a very good family, going back to Princess Mellay. It’s a prolific family that’s produced a lot of quality horses and a huge number of winners over a number of years.
“Loftys Gift is set to be particularly sought after, being a stakes-winning and Group-placed mare, and we’ve just scanned her and had a positive to our new stallion Alflaila. I think a stakes-winning mare in foal to a first-season stallion should have a lot of appeal.”
But Loftys Gift is not the only one with notable credentials. Anticipate (NZ) (Ghibellines), a four-time winner from 24 starts, is a half-sister to Blood Brotha and the dam of Loftys Gift. Anticipate gave birth to her first foal last month.
“Anticipate showed some good ability on the track and has just recently foaled a colt by Ancient Spirit,” Stewart said. “So this is a great opportunity for someone to buy a promising young broodmare with a colt foal at foot.
“A couple of the others being sold still have the potential to do more on the racetrack. Patraine (NZ) (Almanzor) has won a couple of races and I don’t think she’s reached her mark yet, so there’s a bit to look forward to with her, while De Pazzi (NZ) (Almanzor) has had only four starts so far and has had a fourth. She’s just taken a bit of time.”
Patraine and the unnamed mare being offered as Lot 6 are both sisters to the Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) and Tasmanian Oaks (2100m) winner Parthesia.
This five-strong dispersal is part of a 25-lot catalogue for the latest gavelhouse.com fortnightly auction, with bidding on the first lot closing at from 7pm (NZDT) on Monday 10 November.
