Art Major went within a whisker of usurping super sire, Bettor’s Delight on the second day of selling at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sales in Christchurch yesterday.
Alabar principals will have been over the moon to calculate the statistics of their marquee stallion as he went stride for stride with the seemingly untouchable Woodlands Stud resident on what was a slightly improved day two.
With 30 lots on offer, Art Major’s progeny produced an aggregate of $892,000 for the day - with an average of just over $40,500 and a clearance rate of above 73 per cent.
Bettor’s Delight had 37 lots in the book with three withdrawn but still managed to a total of just over $1 million in sales for the day with an average of over $41,000 and a clearance of just above 70 per cent.
Four of the day’s five top lots were by Art Major - the highest of them a colt from Rocknroll Arden who fetched $155,000 when purchased by Cran Dalgety. Cheer The Lady’s first foal, a colt, went for $150,000 to clients of Brent Mangos while half-brothers to start four-year-old’s Lazarus and Chase The Dream both went for $120,000.
The only Bettor’s Delight to split them was a filly from Gotta Go Harmony who was purchased by Mark Jones for a band of his owners for $120,000.
Jones joined the party late in bidding for the standout filly before eventually grabbing her following some healthy bidding.
For Nigel McGrath, the $120,000 he found to secure the half-brother to Lazarus, who was a rig, was breaking new ground.
“It’s the highest I’ve paid for one,” McGrath said.
“I was the underbidder on the brother to Partyon on Monday so this is a bit of a consolation.
“McGrath was still in the process of finalising ownership for the colt.”
Trevor Casey stamped his authority early when grabbing the half to Chase The Dream, who incidentally was also a rig.
Cheer The Lady’s first foal will remain in New Zealand after Brent Mangos played the role of purchaser for one of his clients.
“I actually drove the mare a few times, and she has left an outstanding colt.
“It’s getting into big territory for us, but we decided this year to cut back on the number of horses we buy and focus on some bigger prices so to get this one is reallypleasing.”
All counted there were seven lots on the second day that fetched six figure totals.
Greg and Nina Hope were proactive on the trotting front, buying three lots for the day including a close relation to one of their current stars, Enghien.
They paid $54,000 for a Dream Vacation colt from Another Love who herself was purchased in foal from the sale of the late Carl Middleton two years ago then they also went to $50,000 to grab a Revenue colt from Harriet Hughes, making the colt a half-brother to Harriet Of Mot.
There was a slight lift in sales on the day from Tuesday’s opening day in Christchurch.
The two days ended with an average of just over $27,000 and a surprising clearance rate of 77 per cent.
More than $11 million was spent over the three days.
