Ellis Secures $640,000 Savabeel Colt

Media Release - Wednesday November 17

David Ellis is no stranger to the top end of the buyers sheet at a New Zealand Bloodstock sale, and he found himself there once again on Wednesday when purchasing the top lot on day one of their Ready to Run Sale at Te Rapa.

Caught in a bidding duel with bloodstock agent Bryce Tankard and an online bidder, Ellis was adamant he was going to secure lot 107, the Savabeel colt out of Etiquette, a full-sister to multiple Group One winner and ill-fated Waikato Stud stallion Sacred Falls.

Lot 107 (inside) was purchased by Te Akau Principal David Ellis for $640,000. Photo: Mike Walen

The bids quickly surpassed the $500,000 mark but Ellis was in for the long haul, eventually coming out on top with a final bid of $640,000.

The colt, who is a full-brother to stakes winner and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up Milford, was offered through Ohukia Lodge’s draft on account of Waikato Stud.

Ellis was taken by the colt when he inspected him and he said he took great heart knowing that he had been raised at Waikato Stud, who stand his champion sire Savabeel.

“He is from a lovely family, from a great farm, and we are pretty excited to have him in the stable,” Ellis said.

“I think he is a 1600m to 2000m colt that we want to have a good crack at winning some nice staying races. He is the sort of horse that you have got to buy to win those races.

“He is a Savabeel-O’Reilly cross that has been so successful and he goes back to a Redoute’s Choice mare. It is a great family that we have had a lot of success with too.

“We are really rapt to have him in the stable for our owners.”

Ellis was also active on Wednesday purchasing seven other juveniles, including lot 114, the Savabeel colt out of Riverrock’s draft for $340,000, lot 155, the Tavistock filly out of KB Bloodstock’s draft for $170,000, and lot 93 the Churchill gelding out of Ascot Farm’s draft for $160,000.

Advertisement

“We bought eight horses and we thought it was a terrific sale,” Ellis said.

“With the stakes money increases at Ellerslie and other good news being announced from other clubs in months to come, there is a lot of demand from people who are wanting to be involved in Te Akau racing.”

Ellis was also full of praise for the job New Zealand Bloodstock have done in promoting the sale under COVID-19 restrictions.

“It was quite incredible the job New Zealand Bloodstock did in marketing the horses in these very difficult times,” he said.

New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale has been a happy source of talent for Ellis, who has purchased Gingernuts, Te Akau Shark, and Hall Of Fame out of the sale.

Ellis paid just $42,500 for Gingernuts from Stainley Park’s draft at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale and he went on to win six of his 12 starts and more than $1.27 million in stakes, including victories in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Windsor Park Plate (1600m).

Ellis also purchased Hall Of Fame out of Lyndhurst Farm’s 2015 draft for $230,000 and paid the same amount from the same draft a year later for Te Akau Shark.

Te Akau Shark had 14 starts for seven wins, including the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m), Gr.1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m), and placings in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m), while Hall Of Fame won the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham in 2017. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
The Rosehill trials on Friday morning featured a couple of juvenile heats and both winners came out of the Widden Stud draft at Magic Millions with one topping the sale at $2.8million and the other selling for a modest $150,000.
Winning Return for Blueblood I Am Invincible Filly
Last seen finishing an unlucky fourth in the $1million Magic Millions National 2YO Classic in May, speedy I Am Invincible filly Sisstainable returned from a spell at Moonee Valley on Friday night to score a tenacious win.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Breeding To Win – 2025 G1 MVRC Cox Plate
An emotional week in Australasian racing approaches its crescendo as we count down to the final Cox Plate before a radical new era in its history begins and we mourn the passing of one of its greatest champions.
Coolmore Favs get the Flemington Straight Experience in Jump Outs
Beiwacht, Beadman and Skyhook, three of the top four in the market for next month’s Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes had a jump out down the Flemington straight on Friday with Beadman quite the eye-catcher.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 23
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Blueblood Taste of Heaven Set for Magic Millions Digital Sale
One of the country's best bred broodmares, who is also a proven stakes producer, is one of the early highlights for the upcoming first Magic Millions Digital Sale.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Consistency Key On Day One of 2025 Breeze Ups
After the rescheduling of dates for NZB’s anticipated 2025 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups, Day One kicked off on Monday at Te Rapa Racecourse with consistent times, weather and track conditions.