Amongst the high achievers from the vendor ranks over the first three days of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, Brendan and Jo Lindsay's Cambridge Stud operation made the biggest splash in a buying role early on day four at Karaka.
Following a prolonged battle over several minutes it was Cambridge Stud who emerged victorious when Lot 577, a royally-bred Frankel filly from the Pencarrow Stud draft was knocked down to their $500,000 offer.
From Irish-bred Fastnet Rock mare Assume,
the filly features numerous European stakes winners throughout her extended
pedigree, a feature that Brendan Lindsay believed would see her amongst the
more expensive offerings at the sale.
"I expected we would have to pay at least that ($500,000) and possibly a bit more," he said.
"From Cambridge Stud's point of view, it is the chance to get some Frankel blood on the farm which is only going to be good for us going forward."
Lindsay also believed that the stars may have aligned for the purchase given his previous experience when buying from the Pencarrow draft.
"The last horse I bought off Pencarrow was J'Adane," he said.
"That really got me going as she was foaled in the Northern Hemisphere and brought down here and so was this filly.
"Maybe the stars have aligned."
The Lindsay-owned Danehill mare J'Adane was placed at Group One level three times during a brief racing career before going to the breeding paddock where she has produced Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) winner Sherrif along with multiple stakes winner Von Tunzelman.
The purchase of the Frankel filly is also consistent with Lindsay's philosophy to improve the quality of the local breeding stock.
"Our stallions need to be supported by elite mares so that is why we have bought this filly," he said.
"We are in a rebuilding phase with Cambridge Stud, so we have to invest some money in the business. This is part of that investment.
"Jo and I enjoy racing horses, but to be able to invest in a Frankel filly that could race here and in Australia is only going to help our business in the long-term."
Lindsay also advised that he was feeling upbeat with the Stud's sale results to date.
"As a vendor we are extremely happy," he said. "The clearance rate is good as there are only two we haven't sold.
"We're happy with the prices that have been paid for our horses, so we have had a successful sale and are very happy."
Early on day four Cambridge Stud had sold 43 yearlings at an aggregate $6.24million. – NZ Racing Desk
