08 March 2021 | PETER WHARTON
YEARLING sales in all States and countries give prospective owners the opportunity to purchase a life changing horse.
However, when the door of opportunity is open we do need to step right in and make the most of those opportunities.
On March 19, 2017 a huge opportunity presented itself at the Annual Bathurst Yearling Sale but was passed up by everyone in attendance that day.
When Lot 17 waltzed into the ring that day, accompanied by Melanie Settree from Brooklyn Lodge, it did attract some small time bidding but departed the auction ring as a passed-in lot – with the bidding stalling at $9,000.
He was a neat package for a December foal and his breeding was reasonable with his Ponder dam having won four races and $16,225, while his third dam had produced a $225,000 winner in Drunken Desire (1:51.8) and was a full sister to an exceptional filly called My Cherie 1:59.8 ($338,265).
Well that missed opportunity, now a five-year-old entire, has a name of Lochinvar Art. The bankroll now stands at $1,368,456 with plenty more to come.
It is now well documented that the colt was sent to Menangle horseman Rickie Alchin to be broken in for his breeders Peter and Maureen Green and Dan Cordina.
The colt showed plenty of spark when offered at the NSW Ready To Run Sale in December 2017. Victorian horseman David Moran didn’t let the opportunity go begging and was the new owner when the hammer went down at around $28,000.
David, who at that stage was building a nice stable of horses at his Shepparton base, found a willing and now delighted owner in Kevin Gordon.
Lochinvar Art is now a well known name in Harness Racing circles in every State of Australia and in the future may be known throughout the world as one of the fastest horses on the planet.
So on March 21 at the Bathurst track, opportunities will again present themselves when 91 yearlings will be offered, waiting for the auctioneer Graeme Board’s gavel to fall on many a bargain buy.
Lochinvar Art is now a millionaire, on his way to a second million.
There are 12 yearlings in this year’s catalogue who feature a millionaire on their pedigree page, so these lots might be a good starting point when compiling a shopping list.
Lot 15 Betting Line-BBS Inspiration filly Vendor: Rikki Cernovskis
Lot 21 Huntsville-Perfecshon filly Vendor: Matt and Michael Leary
Lot 23 Shoobees Place-Heavenly Scent colt Vendor: Lochend Stud/S. Carmody
Lot 26 A Rocknroll Dance-Roxie Mattgregor colt Vendor: Alison and Stephen Cooper
Lot 43 Pet Rock-Aldebaran colt Vendor: Adam Smith
Lot 48 Sunshine Beach-High Rollin Babe colt Vendor: Medowie Lodge
Lot 60 Shadow Play-Tanamay colt Vendor: Norman Valdez
Lot 64 Warrawee Needy-Wandjina colt Vendor: Yirribee Stud
Lot 66 Shoobees Place-Patch Maguire colt Vendor: Lochend Stud
Lot 69 Huntsville-Gaea colt Vendor: Brooklyn Lodge
Lot 81 Four Starzzz Shark-My Sunday Girl filly Vendor: Daniel Carmody
Lot 84 Art Major-Gstaad filly Vendor: Medowie Lodge
The Sale commences at 11am on Sunday, March 21 at the Bathurst Harness Racing track.
Catalogues are available from Graeme Board on 0408 636 273 and the Bathurst, Newcastle and Wagga clubs and the Garrard’s Store at Menangle.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
