A productive week of shopping at Karaka has helped to put Waipā horseman Nick Kneebone on a path towards New Zealand’s training ranks.
Nick Kneebone at Karaka with Lot 312, a Home Affairs colt. Photo: Glenys Randell
Kneebone completed eight purchases under the Patella Bloodstock banner during New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale.
He secured five yearlings from Book 1, including a Capitalist colt for $460,000, a Satono Aladdin colt for $400,000 and a St Mark’s Basilica colt for $360,000. He followed that up with another three Book 2 yearlings, signing off with a $125,000 colt by Shamexpress late on Thursday afternoon.
Patella Bloodstock’s total spend was $1,680,000 across the five days of the sale.
“It’s been really good,” Kneebone said. “We’ve managed to secure eight horses, seven colts and a filly, and we’re really happy with what we’ve come away with.
“The plan now is to take them down to Cambridge and get them ready, either to be traded on to overseas or to go into training here.”
That is a part of the thoroughbred world that Kneebone himself is keen to become immersed in. The 27-year-old is a son of auctioneer and NZB’s director of business development Mike Kneebone, but he has also gained experience in stables across the Tasman.
“I’m happy to come here now and give it a crack at a time when it looks like New Zealand racing is on the up. The prize-money increases have been great news for the industry here in recent times and I’m very keen to be a part of it.”
Kneebone’s initial target is to prepare some horses for the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November.
Meanwhile Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood of Kingsclere Stables experienced a whirlwind of highs across the Karaka Millions and Yearling Sales series.
Waipā trainer Robert Wellwood pictured following Orchestral’s win at Ellerslie last Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
They secured a filly out of Hallmark Stud’s draft on behalf of Orchestral’s owners, Colin and Helen Litt. The Proisir filly out of Donna Marie is the full-sister to another Kingsclere headlining act in Prowess, who won two Group Ones and over $1.5 million in a career that came to a premature end.
A further six yearlings were purchased by the Cambridge trainers in Book 1, including Lot 412, a Per Incanto colt out of Group Two winner Xpression for $260,000, while they went to $310,000 for Lot 623, a filly by young sire St Mark’s Basilica.
Meanwhile Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood of Kingsclere Stables experienced a whirlwind of highs across the Karaka Millions and Yearling Sales series.
They secured a special filly out of Hallmark Stud’s draft on behalf of Orchestral’s owners, Colin and Helen Litt. Lot 564, a Proisir filly out of Donna Marie, is the full-sister to another Kingsclere headlining act in Prowess, who won two Group Ones and over $1.5 million in a career that came to a premature end.
Wellwood, while acknowledging the connection to Prowess, said the filly stood out on her own.
“It was great, but we’re not sentimental and don’t buy them for the sake of it,” he said. “We genuinely thought she was the best filly on the grounds, which gave us confidence, matched up with a family we know, and a cross we know that works.
“We’re extremely lucky and proud to be able to get her, and very fortunate to have the owners that support us to buy what we felt was the best filly.”
A further six yearlings were purchased by the Cambridge trainers in Book 1, including Lot 412, a Per Incanto colt out of Group Two winner Xpression for $260,000, while they went to $310,000 for Lot 623, a filly by young sire St Mark’s Basilica.
“I thought we did reasonably well, we only buy horses if we love them,” Wellwood said. “I always do the grandmother test, I say to myself if my grandmother wanted this horse, would I buy it for her. All of these horses have passed that test and are coming home.
“We’re excited to see them in our stable.” – NZ Racing Desk
Nick Kneebone signed for Lot 1082 on Thursday, a colt by Shamexpress Photo: Megan Liefting
