Known for his penchant of winking his bids to the spotters, he enjoyed a near perfect strike rate during the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale with nine two-year-old purchases.
"We missed one, but we bought a stunning line up of future racehorses," Ellis said. "There was a terrific international buying bench that New Zealand Bloodstock assembled and the competition was very fierce.
"We have bought horses for our New Zealand stable and for the Singapore stable."
Ellis' top-priced purchase was the Savabeel gelding out of the winning Montjeu mare La Belle Epoque, secured from Lyndhurst Farm's draft for $350,000.
"When the Te Akau team of Jamie Richards, Mark Walker and myself first looked at him we absolutely fell in love with him," Ellis said.
"He's a stunning staying horse in the making and we can see him running in a
New Zealand Derby."His highest-priced filly was a daughter of Reliable Man and the Keeninsky mare Keenly, the winner of four races, bought out of Diamond Lodge's consignment for $180,000.
"She's the first white horse I've ever bought," Ellis said. "We've had great success with chestnuts, bays and browns and now it will be a challenge for Jamie and Stephen (Autridge) to train this one."
Ellis outlaid more than $1 million on the opening day and will be back to do more business tomorrow, but before that work has to be done.
"None of the fillies have owners yet so we'll be on the phone tonight looking for them," he said. – NZ Racing Desk.
