By Duane Ranger
The ‘sales topper’ at yesterday’s (Monday) Autumn Sale at Karaka is likely to go through the same sales complex again early next year.
Orewa businessman (of Equine Training and Rehabilitation Services Ltd), and breeder, Russell Dye, paid $35,000 for an unregistered Art Major – E J Becks weanling to Alabar Stud. He said he was now likely to put her through the Sales ring at next year’s Yearling Sale at Karaka.
“I bought her because she was simply the best horse in the sale and I think she’s worth more than $35,000. She is a full sister to Isaiah who has won and placed in several Group races (13 wins – $587,043 – 1:54.6) both here and in Australia.
‘There was quite a bit of bidding on her. I came in at about the $20,000 mark and would have been prepared to go up to say $45,000. I did my homework and really liked her,” Dye said.
The filly is the eighth foal out of the former Todd Macfarlane trained three-win In The Pocket – Esprit Lee (by Vance Hanover) mare, E J Becks. She was again served by Art Major last November.
“The filly is from a top family and was the only horse I was interested in yesterday. Top mares are hard to come by and I personally thought E J Becks was one of New Zealand’s top five or six mares,” Dye said.
Dye knows a thing or two about breeding.
He has bred standardbreds for almost three decades and rates the 10-win mare Smoke N Mirrors (Pacific Rocket – Jiggery Pokery), and Illuminati (Sundon – Arnees Angel) as some of the better horses he has bred.
“I’ve been around horses for as long as I can remember. Dad (Trevor) trained horses and I remember watching good ones like Humphrey and Lordship go around.
“They were champion horses and the industry these days seems to be centred around the top end. They should take 10 per cent of every stake $30,000 and more and redirect it to the C0s, C1s and C2s,” Dye said.
“That way the bottom end would be better looked after. It has been neglected for years,” he added.
Dye has just one other horse at present – a yearling Pegasus Spur – Mollyz Luck yearling colt.
“I think one day I would like to get into the trotting side of breeding. Breeding a good pacer isn’t guaranteed, especially if he or she reaches the top and then you have to take on three or four runners from the powerful Purdon and Rasmussen stable,” Dye said.
Sundon gelding Illuminati won six races here and several more overseas before Malabar Maple gelding Change Of Mind won one race here.
“I had about 15-20 horses at the time. Just too many, so I moved a few on. The mare has since died (2012),” Dye said.
Last year Dye owned the Equine 2000 company. For 20 years he supplied world leading exclusive equine supplements to the New Zealand racehorse industry.
He’s now promotes ‘Vitafloor’ through www.etrs.nz (new technology vibrating platforms) which are huge overseas. The company specialises in equine training equipment.
“The first machines have arrived in both New Zealand and Australia,” he said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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