3 minute read
Alan Bell paid $800,000 for a colt by the Newgate Farm-based sire.
Having owned Deep Field (Northern Meteor) throughout his racing career, owner Alan Bell once again put his faith in his abilities as a stallion when paying $800,000 for a colt by the Newgate Farm-based sire.
Catalogued as Lot 704 https://catalogue.magicmillions.com.au/lot/20GPR/704 and offered by Attunga Stud, the colt is out of Listed winning-Flying Spur (Danehill) Roulettes, making the colt a three-quarters brother to Group 3 winner Sun City (Zoustar).
Roulettes herself is a half-sister to Royal Discretion (Royal Academy) and Tactfully (Flying Spur) who in turn produced Listed winner Vezalay (Shamardal).
"He was just a great colt. He was a beautiful strong horse, all the quality in the world and out of a proper mare - so why not," said Bell. "He's got the scope and temperament, he's by my horse, who is going so well and he is going to keep climbing up. I bought the first crop thinking they would become more expensive in time and that is now true.
"He didn't hugely look like Deep Field, but he has his strength and bone. I thought he was bought for a reasonable price on the market and I was just happy to get him. He's got everything I look for. One thing he did have in common with his father is that he just got better and better everyday. He is a beautiful horse and I just hope we have luck with him.
Bell said the market had been strong for the good colts: "There are a lot of great colts here and they are under huge competition for all the colt syndicates. It is an exciting time for the game with everyone trying to get involved and they are willing to share the risk and share the reward - it is great for breeders as the money is there for these horses."
Bell said the colt would head into training with Team Hawkes, who trained both his sire and dam.
The $800,000 price tag is the most paid for a yearling by the exciting Newgate Farm sire and Brian Nutt, owner of Attunga Stud, said the colt had always been a standout and was delighted to see him realise that figure.
"I am delighted with the result. He's out of a mare we bred on the farm and it's a family we know really well," said Nutt. "She's been really good to the breeders, which includes my brother-in-law and Lindsay Maxsted, so I'm just so pleased for them that they can sell a colt for really good money and more importantly he's gone to a really good home.
"Even at home this horse did everything right, he had a great attitude, good mover and he was really sensible and never had his head out of the feed bin. He behaved exactly the same up here."
Roulettes has been a valuable broodmare for her owners, with five of her yearlings to go through the ring realising an aggregate of $1,625,000 and the mare is currently in foal to Arrowfield Stud's Dundeel (High Chaparral).
"Roulettes has a two-year-old I Am Invincible filly that the boys kept and she is in training with Mick Price and she is actually starting next Wednesday," Nutt continued. "She is currently in foal to Dundeel. We always go in there with a realistic reserve and it was way below that - we just let the market do it's own thing."