Go Racing Director Albert Bosma had targeted the sole Ole Kirk yearling at the NZB Karaka National Sale well before his Written Tycoon filly Velocious won the Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m) last Saturday.
Velocious started an even-money favourite in New Zealand’s richest juvenile race after initially graduating to black-type ranks in the Counties Challenge Stakes (LR, 1100m) at Pukekohe in November. She is the 57th Stakes-winner by Written Tycoon on a roll-call that includes Ole Kirk before he retired to Vinery Stud.
Bosma and Blandford Bloodstock’s Stuart Bowman paid $200,000 for the Ole Kirk – Empyrean colt (Lot 43) offered by Pencarrow Stud on Tuesday. “We love him and so does Annabel (Neasham),” Bosma said. “I’m confident he will go early although I imagine he will be a much better 3yo over a mile.
“Ole Kirk is a first-season sire that’s attracted our attention and the colt comes from a wonderful Pencarrow family. He’s also qualified for BOBS bonuses in Australia.”
Empyrean (O’Reilly) is an unraced daughter of Ethereal (Rhythm) who completed a Group 1 double in the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups of 2001. Third-dam Romanee Conti (Sir Tristram) was a Group 3 winner on either side of the Tasman and her three-quarter sister Grand Echezeaux (Zabeel) won an Australasian Oaks (Gr.1, 2000m) and foaled Group 1 racehorse and sire Darci Brahma (Danehill).
“He looks a classic colt alright and I’m glad we got him,” Bowman added. “We tried to buy an Ole Kirk at the Gold Coast Magic Millions but didn’t have any luck.”
Pencarrow also sold a colt by fellow Vinery sire All Too Hard from Floating Heart (Lot 86) for $120,000 to Matt Vella Bloodstock at Karaka. He’s bred on the same Encosta de Lago cross as Alligator Blood and descends from Lafleur (Zabeel) who won a Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (Gr.2, 2000m) in 2003.
Ole Kirk’s Magic Millions yearlings sold to $1million on the Gold Coast at a Book 1 average of $206,300. Vinery Stud has entered seven Ole Kirks for the Inglis Classic Sale among his overall draft of 23 lots at Riverside Stables commencing on Sunday week, February 11.
