Bloodstock agent Kevin ‘Millie’ Walls was a key player on back-to-back big lots at Karaka on Sunday, securing a colt for $675,000 before being underbidder on a $600,000 colt that was the very next yearling through the ring.
Bidding on behalf of his clients and good friends Ron and Judi Wanless, Walls withstood the challenge of Andrew Williams and Jamie Richards to win a fierce bidding duel for Lot 93.
The colt was offered by Hallmark Stud and is by rising star Waikato Stud sire Super Seth out of the Almanzor mare Rozala.
The dam is a half-sister to the dam of Gr.3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) winner Public Attention, while the second dam is the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner Katie Lee.
“I’ve been buying on type,” Walls said. “We actually bought the half-brother to this colt last year (for $100,000). He’s won a jumpout for us and I know he goes pretty well.
“I thought this was just an outstanding colt, one of the best-moving colts on the complex. Ron wanted to keep putting his hand up. I said no, but he kept on going.”
There was barely a moment for Walls to catch his breath before he began bidding on Lot 94, Trelawney Stud’s colt by Proisir out of the Van Nistelrooy mare Ruqqaya.
A two-race winner, Ruqqaya is the dam of six winners including Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) winner Grunt, along with Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) winner Zayydani. Ruqqaya is also a half-sister to the five-time Group One winner, New Zealand Horse of the Year and successful sire Ocean Park.
Walls went up to $575,000 for the colt, but had to settle for second place as Yulong, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and Kestrel Thoroughbreds put in a winning bid of $600,000. Grunt is a member of Yulong’s stallion roster.
“I know that colt’s family well from my days as stud manager at Trelawney Stud,” Walls said. “Ruqqaya was a lovely mare and has left great foals.
“He’s a lovely colt, but we got beaten by Yulong. They stand Grunt, so that’ll be a good home for him.”
Walls was also active earlier in the day, going to $300,000 to purchase Lot 17 – Trelawney’s filly by Sword Of State out of the Ocean Park mare Oceans Eight. The second dam Ruud Van Slaats won twice at Group Two level and is dam or granddam of four black-type performers.
“She’s a filly from another family I know well,” Walls said. “I thought she was a lovely, lovely filly. Fillies from that family are hard to get, so Judi’s going to have a lot of fun racing her.” – NZ Racing Desk.
