Cover image courtesy of Riversley Park
Operated by Sam Beatson, Ohaupo-based Riversley Park has been a specialist in the Ready to Run format since 2015, selling the top two lots at the Sale last year and five of the top six lots in 2019. This year, it presents a draft of 27 horses, or around 10 per cent of the catalogue.
COVID-19 related travel restrictions will mean the Sale itself will be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday in a virtual environment at the Te Rapa racecourse, not at the Karaka complex as usual, with no horses present.
Beatson told TDN AusNZ that while conducting inspections from the farm in the lead-up was not ideal, the level of interest from prospective buyers has built over the past few days.
Sam Beatson | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
"It started off pretty quiet, but from Thursday and Friday, there has been a lot of phone calls and emails and messages. So it’s really picked up now and there has been strong interest over the last few days," he said.
"It's hard to know how many buyers will be active because a lot of the agents are doing more than one list. They could be doing three or four different lists for different people. It is harder to get a line on what they are looking for. But I’d say we'll have all the usual Australian trainers and agents and obviously the Hong Kong and Singapore guys are very strong."
"I’d say we'll have all the usual Australian trainers and agents and obviously the Hong Kong and Singapore guys are very strong." - Sam Beatson
Beatson said he would do whatever he needed to ensure people could see his draft ahead of the Sale but did indicate that he felt there was a greater comfort in recent times with people doing much of the groundwork via photos, inspection videos and the breeze-up vision.
"That sort of thing works better with a 2-year-old breeze-up sale than with a yearling sale, because you have the breeze-up vision," he said.
"They (the buyers) are pretty comfortable with the photos and videos. But generally, they still get someone to look at the horse in the flesh. The vet can do that for them, or their agents or other trainers. I think they are still getting around and getting that done. They might do their shortlist off their breeze ups and videos."
Mixing it up
If there is a theme for the Riversley Park draft in 2021, it is diversity. Beatson's experience has taught him that buyers in this market are looking for a wide range of horses and it is important to give them many options.
"We've got all sorts of different types and pedigrees. It's a really broad sort of draft. We’ve got sprinters to stayers and new-season sires to proven stallions. There should be a horse there for everyone," he said.
"We’ve got sprinters to stayers and new-season sires to proven stallions. There should be a horse there for everyone." - Sam Beatson
Indeed, the draft has representatives of 22 different sires, with the only multiples being from Per Incanto (USA) (3), Deep Field (2), Almanzor (Fr) (2) and Hellbent (2). The Riversley Park draft also features the only Frankel (GB) (Lot 61) in the Sale, the half-brother to Group 2 winner All Legal (Al Maher).
Beatson said he expects the two Deep Field colts, Lot 44 and Lot 238, to create plenty of interest especially with Hong Kong buyers.
Gallery: Some of Riversley's Ready to Run Sale horses
Lot 44 is out of the Pins mare Bang On (NZ), who is a daughter of Group 1 winner Critic (NZ) (Centaine), which is the family of stallions Ocean Park (NZ), O'Reilly (NZ) and Grunt (NZ). He was purchased for $125,000 by Riversley Park from the Evergreen Stud Farm draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Lot 238 cost $150,000 from the Fernrigg Farm draft at the same sale and is out of Denman mare Petit Cheval, who is from an extended family which includes Group 1 winner Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock).
Beatson also likes the prospects of Lot 195, the Pierro colt out of the stakes-placed Fastnet Rock mare, Mary Lou, and the two geldings and a colt by Per Incanto (USA), Lots 65, 82 and 139.
"They are all by what have proven to be more commercial to Australia and Hong Kong, who particularly like those proven sires," he said.
The Golden effect
Riversley Park is likely to be high on the list of Hong Kong buyers given it sold Hong Kong champion and four-time Group 1 winner Golden Sixty (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) at this Sale four years ago.
Golden Sixty as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
"He's a horse of a lifetime really, he's a superstar. You need to be producing those good horses when you are selling them for good money. You need those horses to fly the flag for Riversley Park," he said.
"He's (Golden Sixty) a horse of a lifetime really, he's a superstar. You need to be producing those good horses when you are selling them for good money."- Sam Beatson
For Beatson, it is the racetrack, not the sales ring where the quality is determined and where the return custom is most likely to be generated.
As for this week, he thinks there is enough vibrancy and interest to ensure vendors come away with something worthwhile in a less-than-ideal format.
"Being a smaller book will help. Normally your clearance rate is good when you have these smaller books of around 250," he said
"A lot of the agents here say they have got orders. These agents have got a lot of lists for a lot of people, so it sounds like it is going to be a reasonable Sale."