by Renee Geelen/The Thoroughbred Report
David Ellis smashed the record for the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, purchasing lot 174, an I Am Invincible (Aus) colt from dual Group 1 winner Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) for NZ$1.65 million. The previous highest price at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale was NZ$825,000 for Megastar Heart (Aus) (Star Turn {Aus}) who won a listed race last season at two.
“I've been buying at this sale for a lifetime and that's the most impressive colt I've seen at this sale,” said Ellis. “He's just as nice a colt as you'd ever see. The staff have all seen him and are excited to have him in the stable. He'll sell very quickly, the interest in him is already strong.”
The colt was catalogued as a yearling by Segenhoe Stud but didn't sell, being withdrawn from Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and passed at Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. He was offered in the Kiltannon Stables draft.
“He'll go to Te Akau Stud tomorrow and we'll give him a short spell, then we'll race him,” he added. “We trained Shillelagh at two and three, and then she went to Chris Waller. She's an attractive looking Savabeel mare, and colt like this, well, if they race like they ought to, like they've shown so far, then they are worth serious money.
“This is an exciting colt and I can't wait to have him in the stable.”
The colt breezed in an impressive :9.97s which was the fastest time recorded in the catalogue.
Shillelagh won her first three races in succession at three and four, then moved to Australia as a spring 5-year-old where she went on to win the G1 Cantala S. and G1 Empire Rose S. retiring with eight wins and over A$1.8 million in prize-money. Her first foal is Group 3-placed winner 4-year-old mare Irish Legacy (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}) while her second foal, 3-year-old filly Kilkenny (Aus) (I Am Invincible {Aus}), debuted on Wednesday for Chris Waller.
Shillelagh is a full sister to Group 2 winner Tullamore (NZ) and listed winner Grazia (NZ). On the first day, David Ellis purchased five lots for a total of NZ$2.39 million.
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