Former top class cricketer Adam Parore has dipped his toes into the thoroughbred industry with his first purchase at New Zealand Bloodstock's May Sale on Tuesday afternoon.
The former Black Cap wicket keeper went to $36,000 to secure lot 381,
All By Myself, a Zabeel mare who is in-foal to Waikato Stud's freshman sire
Tivaci.
Parore became interested in thoroughbreds through his partner Danielle Francis, whose family have been involved in breeding both standardbreds and thoroughbreds.
"My partner has a farm in Clevedon, literally just 10 minutes down the road from Karaka," he said. "She is breeding from a few broodmares, this is actually the first time I have bought anything.
"I've bought a few paintings over the years at auction, but I've never bought a horse, so it is a pretty exciting day for us."
Francis bought a mare out of Brighthill Farm's draft at last year's May Sale and the couple returned to the same well for this year's purchase.
"We have dealt with Nick (King) and Brighthill before," Parore said. "Danielle bought a mare off them last year and we thought if we could we would buy one more this year. We inspected mares yesterday and she is the one that caught our eye."
Parore joins fellow former Black Cap Brendan McCullum in the thoroughbred ranks, with McCullum experiencing success with his Vermair Racing brand.
"Brendan is the most high-profile cricketer (involved in racing), so no doubt I'll bump into him at some stage which will be nice, I haven't seen him for a few years actually." – NZ Racing Desk.
