THEY WANTED THE WANTEDS

Weanling colt tops MM National

Eliza Park banner horse, Wanted, is used to the spotlight.

First off, he featured at the 2008 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, sharing equal billing as the highest priced Fastnet Rock sold that year ($800,000).

Wanted then became a Group winner at two before going on to capture Australia’s premier sprint … no mean feat at three (a milestone he shares with the likes of Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler, along with leading sires Exceed And Excel and General Nediym).

But it’s his star turn at stud which has really upped the ante.

With the first of the mares in foal to Wanted selling up to $205,000 at broodmare auctions last year, Eliza Park would consign his Vestment colt to Oaklands Junction where the first crop youngster sold for $117,500, topping the first session of the 2012 Great Southern Weanling Sale.

Even that only served as an entrée to the Gold Coast National sales series where, on Tuesday, the stakes winning mare, Satin Robes – in foal to Wanted – was knocked down to Coolmore Stud for $420,000, while another of the mares who visited Wanted in season two, Patronyme, found a new home to Nick Vaas’ bid of $340,000.

All up, nine mares in foal to Wanted were offered, averaging out at $137,222 – the third highest average for three or more sold and the highest for a covering sire without runners.

Wanted, however, would finish his go at the Nationals with considerable flourish yesterday when three of his weanlings were sold for $80,000, $190,000 and $255,000 respectively for an average of $175,000 – almost six times service fee AND, remarkably, topping the sale’s weanling sire average!

Craig Rounsefell of Boomer Bloodstock managed to grab the well related Aquatint filly for $190,000, while the Regal Arena colt will head to Newgate Farm in NSW after fetching $255,000.

Rounsefell certainly pulled no punches when talking up the new addition to the family: “I loved the filly on type – big girth, nice rein and terrific balance. My client asked to me to find the best filly in the sale and that’s exactly what we’ve ended up with.

“I believe that Wanted has got a better chance than most … he’s by Fastnet Rock, he’s got a good family and he’s certainly producing the types!”

Edinburgh Park’s Ian Smith was also fulsome in praise for the Wanteds, albeit his result more bitter than sweet: “I was on the filly (out of Aquatint) for a long way and also bid up to $220,000 for the colt (ex Regal Arena). I reckon that’s a fairly good indication as to what I think of them (Wanted progeny).

“They’re very similar to Wanted – and for that matter, Fastnet Rock … quality types with plenty of bone.

“Just wish you blokes had a few more of them up here. I’ll definitely hope to go one better in Sydney as I notice he’s got a few entered for the Weanling Sale there.”

Henry Field, who eventually secured the Wanted colt out of Regal Arena for his Newgate Farm, was buoyant post sale: “Seriously, he is one of the best colts I’ve seen at a weanling sale in the last two or three years.

“I really believe in this horse (Wanted) – clearly we have a vested interest being a shareholder so that’s why we want to ensure we’re selling some very good yearlings by him at major sales next year.

“There was a lot of competition on the colt, as I expected there would be … he really looks to be a running type, with plenty of class. Just like his sire!”