In today's Q & A, we feature a quick-fire round with auctioneer extraordinaire Steve Davis.
Favourite moment - racing, sales or breeding related - for the 2022/23 season?
Steve Davis: Selling four yearlings in five lots for $1 million-plus at the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Unfortunately, my reading of the vet report in South Africa, of the 2-year-old with the small penis, happened in August, so can’t be included!
Which sire do you consider a value sire? Fee <$50k and not a first-season sire.
SD: Embellish, I reckon they’ll get better with age.
Embellish | Standing at Cambridge Stud
What young sire (less than three crops) do you think will one day be Champion Sire?
SD: Given Waikato Stud’s previous success and how they’re looking already… Super Seth.
Which yearling purchase in 2023 are you most excited about?
SD: The I Am Invincible x Super Too filly, now named Invincible Madison. Despite disappointing on debut (10th in the G3 Gimcrack S.), she was too good-looking, not to be good!
What, if any, is your greatest current-industry concern?
SD: Keeping the Industry in the mainstream media here in New Zealand.
Name an emerging human talent in the industry, and say why?
SD: Mitchell Davis, He’s passionate about the industry, works for NZTR and oh yeah, he’s my son!
If you had $10 million to invest in an industry initiative, what would it be and why?
SD: The ultimate goal has to be to improve our aging racecourse facilities and to increase stakes, so $10 million is not going to be enough. Perhaps in tandem with centralisation of racecourses it would help.
