Proisir the beneficiary as Ticket To Ride tops National Online Breeding Stock Sale for Gavelhouse Plus

Written by Jessica Owers

Cover image courtesy of Gavelhouse Plus

Wednesday evening brought to a close the 2023 National Online Breeding Stock Sale in New Zealand, hosted online by Gavelhouse Plus.

The sale had kicked off last Friday, launching bidding on its 44-horse mixed bloodstock catalogue, and at the close of trade on Wednesday, it was Lot 50, the 11-year-old mare Ticket To Ride (NZ) (Shocking), who topped the session at a final bid of NZ$102,500. She was bought by Robert Stewart.

The mare was offered by Dean Hawkins’ Wentwood Grange on behalf of the deceased estate of Peter Setchell. Setchell had died in August last year, a former proprietor of Millfield Stud and a one-time shareholder in such horses as Zephyr Bay and Centaine. Ticket To Ride was the final horse to be sold for the estate.

Setchell had kept mares at Wentwood Grange for a handful of years before his death, and he had raced Ticket To Ride with his partner, Margaret, from 2015 through 2019.

“She retired up to us after that, when she went to Proisir,” said Wentwood Grange studmaster Dean Hawkins, speaking to TTR AusNZ. “We sold that colt for something like NZ$120,000 and he went to Mark Purdon (at All Stars Racing). She then foaled an Ardrossan filly that we also sold this year for NZ$120,000.”

As such, Hawkins knew Ticket To Ride well. Owing to the Setchell deceased estate, the mare was always going to be sold; it was just about the timing of her sale this year.

“Because the Ardrossan was such a nice type, we waited until after she was sold to present the mare on behalf of the estate,” Hawkins said. “The estate needed to be wrapped up and the trustees, executors and ourselves decided to wait until after the weanling sale so that the Ardrossan filly could be exposed to the market. Luckily, she sold accordingly.”

It was a good call because the Ardrossan stock was well-received in New Zealand this year. Waikato Stud’s young sire had many yearlings sell but only two weanlings offered, both in the New Zealand Bloodstock arena at Karaka, the best of which was Ticket To Ride’s youngster.

Hawkins said the money realised for Ticket To Ride, NZ$102,500, was reasonable. The mare was sold in foal to Proisir and she was bought by local breeder Robert Stewart, who is currently in Australia.

“She’s a stakes-winning mare in foal to Proisir,” Hawkins said. “You always hope that they’ll get to the six figures, but being an unreserved estate sale, she could easily have got any figure. She was on the market the whole way and she was good value.”

Value is the operative word here because Proisir, himself, will stand for NZ$70,000 (plus GST) this spring, making Ticket To Ride an attractive package deal.

“She is looking like value at that price, but she’s done everyone proud in making that sort of money,” Hawkins said. “We wish the new purchasers the best of luck with her and hopefully they get great returns because that’s what it’s all about.”

Supporting Proisir

Ticket To Ride was trained throughout her career by Andrew Carston. She started 53 times for nine wins, the best of which was her victory in the G3 Canterbury Breeders’ S. over 1400 metres in 2019.

She was kept within her own ability throughout much of her career, earning over NZ$200,000 on the track. By most accounts, she was an exciting addition to the final years of her owner’s life.

On Wednesday, Ticket To Ride was bought by hobby breeder Robert Stewart, who lives in Wānaka on the South Island. He bought her along with Lot 27, the Tavistock (NZ) broodmare Le Sablier, for whom he paid NZ$46,000.

Stewart purchased the mares to support his share in Proisir, into whom he invested when the horse was first syndicated by Rich Hill Stud.

“I’ll be definitely using Ticket To Ride for Proisir,” Stewart said, speaking to TTR AusNZ. “I was expecting to pay more, so I was quite happy to get her at that price. I was happy with Le Sablier too. I think she was priced fairly in the end. They’re both young mares so they’ll keep me going for a while and hopefully they can do something good for me.”

Stewart has been involved with racehorses for many years. He says “not that long compared to other people”, but long enough to know what he’s doing after 16 years. He’s had broodmares for about a decade alongside stallion interests.

“I’m excited for the spring,” he said. “Now that I’ve got Ticket To Ride, she’s got two horses that she’s produced already that will get to the racetrack over the next year or two, so hopefully they will do something for her as well.”

Stewart has been a buyer through the physical sales in New Zealand for many years, but Wednesday was his first foray into Gavelhouse. He said it was seamless.

“Perfectly, actually,” he said. “And I can say that because I got what I wanted.”

Stewart’s broodmare numbers are sitting at four now with the inclusion of Ticket To Ride and Le Sablier. He keeps them between Hall Mark Stud and Valais Stud.

On Wednesday, he missed out on Lot 16 during the sale, the Tavistock mare Far And Away. In the end, she was passed in at NZ$40,000 so Stewart may yet make a few calls.

“In the meantime, I’m happy with the two I got,” he said.

Best of the rest

The National Online Breeding Stock Sale wrapped up with Ticket To Ride at the head of affairs. However, Lot 33, the High Chaparral (Ire) mare Montrer Dame, was passed in for NZ$180,000 when offered by Highline Thoroughbreds in Cambridge.

There was good interest in this mare who was also offered in foal to Proisir. She had won in both New Zealand and Australia, and boasted a page that included A Time For Julia (Redoute’s Choice), the stallions Foreplay and Time Thief, and Personify (Galileo {Ire}), the dam of the VRC Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock).

Lot 10 meanwhile, the mare Cool Change (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}), was sold by Haunui Farm for NZ$50,000. Cool Change has a page with the Australian triple crown winner Burst (Marauding {NZ}) as a third dam.