As anticipation grows in the countdown to this month's NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, another big race has been added to the impressive roll of honour for Ready to Run Sale graduates.
Kelowna Star(NZ) (Sufficient) collected the seventh win of his career and his fourth at stakes level when he scored impressively in the M$600,000 Autumn Trophy (1600m) in Macau, whileSacred Missile(Smart Missile) came in runner up to finish by a quarter and a length.
Ridden by Peter Ho Wah Lun for expat Australian trainer James Moore, Kelowna Star is one of six winners from eight foals to race out of the Royal Academy mare Middlebrook. Two of them are black-type performers – Kelowna Star and the Listed-winning New Zealand mareTwoznotenough(NZ) (Sakhee's Secret).
Bred by Gillovic Bloodstock Ltd, Kelowna Star was offered by Brent Gillovic's Highview Stud at the 2013 Ready to Run Sale. He was purchased by Bjorn Baker Racing for $40,000.
Kelowna Star has now had 30 starts for seven wins, nine placings and more than M$2.5 million in prizemoney, along with A$29,975 in Australia – a total of the equivalent of around NZ$500,000.
Sacred Missile was offered at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale on account of Anzac Lodge when he was purchased for $200,000. He has won four of his five starts and a second placing for M$722,100 in prizemoney.
The Ready to Run Sale has become an outstanding source of quality racetrack performers, headed by the likes of three-time Group 1 winnersMongolian Khan(Holy Roman Emperor),Turn Me Loose(NZ) (Iffraaj) andGingernuts(NZ) (Iffraaj).
This year's Sale will be held at Karaka on November 22 and 23.
| Vendor | Highview |
| Purchaser | Bjorn Baker Racing (New South Wales) |
| Breeding | Sufficient – Middlebrook |
| Sale | Lot 118, 2013 Ready to Run Sale, $40,000 |
