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Alex Elliott pays 280,000gns for son of Haunui Farm shuttler
Belardo (Lope De Vega) - who is currently in New Zealand serving his fourth book of at Haunui Farm - enjoyed a brilliant result at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale on Friday as Alex Elliott - who was working on behalf of Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing - went to 280,000gns for a colt by the son of Lope De Vega (Shamardal).
The colt, who was catalogued as Lot 919 and offered as part of the Ringfort Stud draft, is out of the unraced Clodovil (Danehill) mare Pardoven and he was subject to major pedigree update this year with his half-brother Minzaal (Mehmas) winning the Gimcrack Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) in August, while he followed up that performance with a good third behind Supremacy (Mehmas) in the Middle Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f).
The colt also hails from the same family as Group 3 winner Aim For The Top (Irish River), who in turn produced Australian Listed winner Polar Bear (Polar Falcon), while she is also grandam of Group 2 winner Bankable (Medicean) and Group 3 winner CheshireI (Warning).
It was no surprise to see Amo Racing invest in a foal by Belardo, with the operation owning his daughter Lullaby Moon, whose two victories at stakes level are headed by a win in the Prix Miesque (Gr 3, 1400m) at Chantilly on October 31.
"We had Lullaby Moon by Belardo this year who won the Redcar Two-Year-Old Trophy and the Group 3 Prix Miesque, she will head to the Fred Darling next year and could be Guineas filly," said Elliott. "I thought this colt was flawless, he vetted perfectly. He is a half-brother to the Gimcrack winner who showed phenomenal speed then, and is a very very good horse.
"We stretched to buy this foal, but if he had been here as a yearling he'd have been even more. It is great that we have got him. The dream when we buy anything is Royal Ascot, we hope in a few years he'll be one for there."
The colt was sold by breeder Ringfort Stud's Derek Veitch, who has enjoyed a stand-out year on the track with the farm's graduates.
"It is brilliant for us,” said Veitch. “We have had a superb racing year, and this has just topped it all off. It is nice to be able to have a bit of success on the track and then bring a couple of nice foals here; and everyone sort of expects to see them now.
"It is nice when people support you, and some very good people did – I think Angus Gold was underbidder. I am very appreciative of everybody, it is a huge thing to get that sort of money for a foal."
When asked if he was tempted to keep this horse and sell as a yearling, particularly if Minzaal goes on to improve the page again, Veitch said: “We have always been foal sellers and always going to be, and we are never going to change. If someone buys him and makes money that's great. It never worries me, all I am concerned about is the bottom line for me. If you are making a profit with a foal who is born in March and sold in November – less risk, no insurance, and they are prone to committing suicide!"
Belardo had made an impressive start to his career as a stallion with his total winners count standing at 14, headed by five stakes winners including New Zealand Listed scorer Avonallo. He is standing at Haunui Farm for a fee of NZ$10,000 (plus GST). He has had three lots sold at the December Foal Sale this week for an average of 116,333gns.
