RESIDENT Vinery stallions Mossman and Testa Rossa were in heavy demand from buyers at this week’s New Zealand Ready To Run Sale of 2YO’s at Karaka south of Auckland.

A total of five youngsters by Ortensia’s sire Testa Rossa changed hands during the week selling for a high of $250,000 at an average of $135,000.

Lot 390, which sold for a quarter of a million dollars, is a direct descendant of the blue hen mare Palatious who stands as the matriarch of HK superstar Vengeance of Rain, AJC Oaks winner Dizelle, Bernicia, Dizlago and Blue Diamond winner, Danelagh.

The colt was bought by an undisclosed bidder from New South Wales.

The Premier state is also the destination for the Mossman top seller, a colt out of Sabino Canyon which sold for $145,000.

Mossman is perhaps best known in New Zealand for the exploits of the Sir Patrick Hogan owned Hoofit who won a stakes race and was placed fourth in the Group 1 Awapuni Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in 2010.

Hoofit was later sold to race in the USA where he picked up a black-type win almost immediately for his new connections.