KEY POINTS:
The sale of star 3-year-old Alamosa for more than $5 million was confirmed by buyer Bill Gleeson of Manawatu stud Wellfield Lodge last night.
Gleeson said the money would be paid today.
"I can confirm everything will go ahead tomorrow. Everything's been settled," Gleeson said yesterday.
He said Alamosa had been syndicated into 50 shares with Wellfield holding at least 25 of them.
"Wellfield will be the major shareholder, which obviously entails more than 50 per cent."
He said the horse's purchase was entirely a New Zealand venture.
"There are no shares sold to Australia at all," he said.
Alamosa has been the leading 3-year-old this season.
The O'Reilly colt chalked up his third group one win when winning the $200,000 Otaki Weight-For-Age at Otaki on February 22.
At his previous start, he became the first 3-year-old in 20 years to win the group one $200,000 Thorndon Mile Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on January 26.
His other group one success came last season in the $175,000 Diamond Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds at Ellerslie in March.
He has raced 17 times for nine wins, four seconds and a third for stake earnings of $719,000.
Alamosa was trained in Waikato by Peter McKay at Matamata. He owned the horse in partnership with his wife and Christchurch importer Trevor Luke.
McKay, however, will no longer train the colt.
Gleeson said Alamosa would join the Melbourne stable of Mick Price at Caulfield.
Alamosa has yet to race in Australia and Gleeson said that to enhance his value as a future stallion it was important he performed in Australia.
"He can't do any more in New Zealand than what he's done.
"We obviously want to frank his form as Australasian."
Gleeson said a Victorian trainer was chosen because the state had been free of equine influenza which had crippled racing in New South Wales and Queensland.
"We fielded a number of calls from throughout Australia but we are going to Victoria because it has been free of EI."
- NZPA
