INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
OCTOBER 2, 2014
Patinack Dispersal comes to a close
by Rob Burnet
Victorian businessman Sean Buckley purchased former Patinack Farm galloper Hooked (Casino Prince) (Lot
No. 795) for A$600,000 to top the final session of the Patinack Farm Complete Dispersal at the Magic Millions sale complex at Bundall on the Gold Coast Wednesday.
Hooked, a four-year-old entire, will run in the A$500,000 Epsom H. (Aus-G1) at Randwick Saturday under the guidance of trainer John Thompson in Buckley’s colors. Hooked earlier in the day was drawn barrier 14 for the race. Buckley
confirmed straight after the sale that Hooked would remain with Thompson for the rest of his racing career.
The sessions of the Patinack Farm Complete Dispersal
from Sunday through to Wednesday generated gross sales of A$33,944,500 for Magic Millions co-owner Gerry Harvey,
who held security over all bloodstock and properties of the
business after lending what is believed to be some A$40 million
to former owner Nathan Tinkler. Wednesday’s session saw 135
sold for A$5,861,500, at an average of A$43,419, and a median price of A$26,000.
The sale attracted a large crowd, and while business was
extremely brisk for the Three-Year-Olds section of the Dispersal sale, it was the video
presence of Hooked on the sale ring screen that was the major attraction, just three days
removed from his dominant win in the Cameron H. (Aus-G3) at Newcastle on September 17.
The sale ring crowd was silenced when Toby Koenig, a vet
and bloodstock manager for Buckley, opened the bidding for the absent Hooked — who was
back at Thompson’s Randwick stables — at A$450,000.
The bold tactic nearly worked with a long pause before
auctioneer Clint Donovan took a further A$50,000 bid. He then went in
A$25,000 increments to reach the A$600,000 level to Koenig standing
beside the outside ring.
“The horse was purchased by Ultra Thoroughbred Racing
and will race in our colors in the Epsom H. on Saturday,” Ultra’s
Sean Buckley reported.
“Ultra’s Mr. Chong will be the majority shareholder and some
others will be joining the syndicate. John Thompson will continue to
train Hooked for the remainder of his racetrack career. He has done a
tremendous job with the horse and we hope for great success into the
future.”
It has been a nervous time for Thompson, formerly
Patinack Farm’s trainer, as he watched horses from the stable go through
the ring. As it turned out it was the best possible outcome for the
trainer, as he kept Hooked, who he has trained for his entire career, and he
also has the smart filly First Seal in the A$400,000 Coolmore Flight
S. (Aus-G1) Saturday.
“I am happy and (Buckley) has said he would leave him
with me for the rest of his career,” Thompson remarked. “So it is good
to get new clients in. The team has done a good job with him and hopefully we can return the
favor by winning a good race with him.”
Thompson added he was unsure as to what the outcome was
going to be as the sale approached.
“When you get stables like Gai (Waterhouse) and (Chris)
Waller and Hong Kong interests looking at him at the stable you never know what is going
to happen,” he acknowledged. “With Gai and her big money clients you just don’t know. It is a unique
opportunity to be able to buy a horse and run it three days later in a Group 1. He was a lot better
chance before he drew barrier 14, but he will still run well as he is going very well.”
Thompson also signed for Tremec (Zabeel), the
Chairman’s H. (Aus-G2) winner, as lot 811, for A$110,000.
In other news from the final session of the Dispersal
Sale, Perth businessman Richard Bayliss purchased Reflectance (Redoute’s Choice) for
A$330,000. Lot 805 is out of the Last Tycoon mare Lady Capel, making him a three-quarter brother to sire Casino Prince,
and is set to be trained in Bunbury by Mark Biarstow for the Perth Summer Carnival.
The highlight of the Three-Year-Olds section was the final
offering from Endless, the Sadler’s Wells mare who is the full sister to Powerscourt and
a half-sister to Riposte, Last Train and Kind, the dam of Frankel, Noble Mission, Bullet Train and Joyeuse.
Lot 721, the bay filly by Manduro, was signed for
by Darren Smith at A$260,000 on behalf of Bruce McKenzie, who races under the Oakfield
banner. McKenzie, an owner/breeder, has a property at Port Stephens, New South Wales, and
he was taking the opportunity to upgrade his stock with the
filly certainly falling into that category.
Tim Stakemire was the underbidder on the filly. He was
first part of the dispersal of Endless and her progeny when back
in May he signed for Endless at A$1.05 million on behalf
of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum at the Patinack Farm Reduction Sale conducted by Magic Millions.
On
Tuesday night her two-year-old Casino Prince filly was purchased by
Tony Bott’s E Thoroughbreds Pty. Ltd. for A$340,000 for a group
of international investors.
It was announced during the session that the
stallions Monaco Consul, Murtajill, Raheeb and
Trusting were withdrawn from the sale.
It is believed that commercial discussions were
underway concerning some of the seven Patinack Farm properties either as separate titles or
as an overall package, and that the stallions might be part of the package. An international
buyer who has already made exploratory investments in bloodstock in Australia is
believed to be considering a larger investment in the country.
Magic Millions Managing Director Vin Cox said the final
results of the dispersal exceeded his expectations.
“(Magic Millions co-owner Gerry Harvey) asked me a month
ago, can the sale make A$30 million?’ I said no,” Cox recalled. “It has been a way, way
stronger sale than we thought, and there are a few reasons for that, including that it is a
genuine sale and people recognize that and have been prepared to get in and have a dig. This has
been rewarding from our point of view.”
Cox confirmed the interest in the four Patinack Farm
properties, some with separate titles.
“We will just have to go through the process and see
where it ends up,” he said. “There are some pretty exciting people out there who are looking to
establish in this part of the world, which is good from an industry point of view. We have got
an industry that is extremely well-funded. The fundamentals are fantastic and our prize money
is fantastic. We have had two breeding stock sales that have grossed A$140 million, which
is astounding, so we are in good shape.”