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Secures top priced lot on Monday going to $520,000 for a Tavistock colt from Pencarrow

Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis bought the two most expensive lots to sell on Sunday and he also bought Monday’s top priced lot when he went to NZ$520,000 to secure the Tavistock (Montjeu) colt out of Echezeaux (Encosta De Lago) from Pencarrow Stud. 

Sold as Lot 367, the colt is the second foal out of Listed placed Echezeaux and his second dam is Australasian Oaks (Gr 1, 2000m) winner Grand Echezeaux (Zabeel) whose five winners include multiple Group 1 winner and successful sire Darci Brahma and Group winner and sire Burgundy (Redoute’s Choice). This is also the family of Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Ethereal (Rhythm). 

Trainer Jamie Richards did the bidding and he had to fend off Bruce Harvey, who was representing the Hong Kong Jockey Club, before being able to secure the colt. The family has provided Ellis with success over the years having bought both Darci Brahma and Burgundy. Darci Brahma was bought for NZ$1.1 million at the 2004 Premier Yearling Sale while Burgundy sold for NZ$1.3 million at the 2010 Premier Yearling Sale. 

Richards said the team was taken with the colt who he believes will run early. 

“We loved him,” Richards said.

“He’s a sharper looking Tavistock. We thought he had enough precocity about him to be racing in the autumn as a two-year-old and develop into a top-class 2000 Guineas colt as a three-year-old.

“If he does it on the track he has got a home at stud somewhere. He is from a beautiful Pencarrow family, and he was a ripping sort.”

Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow Stud has supported this year’s sale with its biggest draft and after two days of selling at the farm has sold 16 yearlings for an aggregate of NZ$3,075,000 and average of $192,188 including three of the top five prices.

The late Cambridge Stud sure Tavistock meanwhile has had 22 yearlings sell for NZ$3,095,000 at an average of $140,681.