NZ HARNESS NEWS
New South Wales Oaks winner Shez All Rock has been sold to American interests in a big-money deal.
New Zealand-born New Jersey trainer Chris Ryder has purchased the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven out of Mark Pitt’s Victorian stable.
“It was a good offer and it’s hard to get that kind of money out of them,” said Pitt on Sunday.
His parents, Leeton-based Ian and Leanne raced the filly, who ran a scintillating 2:50:4 (1.54.3 MR) when winning the A$200,000 feature late last month.
Champion New Zealand horse trainer Mark Purdon was a liason on the deal and may well take over the training of the filly on a temporary basis.
She is nominated for the New Zealand Oaks at Addington on May 18, along with NSW Oaks runner-up Soho Burning Love.
“We’ll go to the Victorian Oaks first and then go from there,” said Pitt.
“Whether she goes over to Mark and Natalie (Rasmussen) or whether I take her over hasn’t been determined.”
Pitt says expects Shez All Rock to make her way to her new home in America during the Australasian winter.
“As far I know she might stay here until the Breeders Crown at the end of the season and then head up there.”
Pitt says while it will be said to see the horse that put him on the map as a trainer go out the front gate, he knows the right decision was made.
“Anything can happen to them – touch wood it doesn’t – but it can so easy happen to the best ones.
“She’s a top-class filly and what she’s done to date has been a dream come true for the family.
“But it was too good an offer to be knocking back.”
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