The stars in Sydney were all in alignment for Little Avondale Stud to celebrate a record auction result during the second session of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Sam and Catriona Williams’ Masterton nursery had high hopes on Monday for their son of Zoustar and Belluci Babe, a daughter of resident sire Per Incanto, and he surpassed all expectations.
The dam is a three-quarter sister to Little Avondale graduate Evaporate whose timely emergence further boosted the profile of her first foal.
Offered as Lot 297, the colt was eventually knocked down for A$1.7 million to Hong Kong interests to fittingly mark the stud’s 85th year of selling yearlings.
“We were hoping to hit the seven-figure mark, but you can never expect to do it, you just hope you can,” Williams said.
“The most expensive yearling we had previously sold was a Savabeel colt by the name of Addictive Nature for $775,000 and to sell a horse over $500,000 anywhere is pretty special.”
Williams had a fair inkling before the Zoustar youngster graced the ring that he was going to push the boundaries.
“We knew we had a special colt and timing is everything, Evaporate winning the Carbine Club (Gr.3, 1600m) two days beforehand when he franked the form of running second in The (NZB) Kiwi (1500m) was the best piece of advertising you can put on any colt or fillies’ page,” he said.
“The colt is a grouse looking horse and his temperament is just to die for. He had over 200 parades and he did it in the same manner every time, he was phenomenal.
“The staff did a spectacular job and they are very proud of their boy, as we all are.”
The son of Zoustar is likely to remain in Australia before eventually making his way offshore.
“The new owners were over from Hong Kong, and it looks like the horse will commence his racing through Liam Howley’s stable and then possibly further his career in Hong Kong with Douglas Whyte,” Williams said.
“It was just a massive result and a few of the family have raced well in Hong Kong, Billion Win was a stakes winner and we sold Trillion Win who was the first foal out of Sound Lover and was stakes placed.
“Cheeky was O’Reilly’s first ever $200,000 yearling and he went to Hong Kong and won eight, so a lot of the family have done well up there.”
Little Avondale’s result in Sydney marked an anniversary year for the stud in spectacular fashion.
“It’s very special and the Zoustar colt and Evaporate are direct descendants of Haggada from my grandmother’s first ever family and the yearlings she first sold 85 years ago,” Wiliams said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
