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Woburn Farm-sold youngster bought for NZ$440,000 to fulfil a long-term desire to race a son of the late sire in England

The desire to race a son of Tavistock (Montjeu) in England took a step closer at Karaka on Tuesday when Henrietta, the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, bought Lot 487 for NZ$440,000. 

Tavistock was bred by Henrietta’s Bloomsbury Stud in 2005 and sold at the 2007 Select Sale to trainer Andrew Campbell. He would win twice at Group 1 level before being retired to Cambridge Stud. Following his death in December 2019, Henrietta was determined to buy a colt by the sire to race in England. 

The colt is the second foal out of the placed Zabeel (Sir Tristram) mare La Belle Beel. His second dam is Haughty Miss (Heroicity) who produced five winners including Singapore stakes winner Intercept (Zerpour) while his third dam produced Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Second Coming (Oak Ridge). 

“It has been Henrietta’s dream to buy a Tavistock from Sir Patrick that could go to England to race to complete the circle for her,” Berri Schroder who was representing Henrietta said.

“If the planes are going, he will be sent over to the northern hemisphere in either June or July.

“While he will be six months older than his competition he will race in open races as a maiden as an autumn two-year-old.

“We looked at every Tavistock in the catalogue this year as we wanted to select the one that would be best suited to that plan and this one fits the bill.

“It was a great battle in the ring and I wasn’t confident we had him until the gavel went down.

“We had heard that there were at least four people on him and I think it was Roger James who was the underbidder.”

Schroder advised that no trainer had been selected to take the colt in England, with the horse set to return to Woburn Farm for the next stage of his preparation before undertaking his journey up north.