Racing: Brisk trade for top mares

Top flight mare Rising Romance is bound for the Hunter Valley. Photo / Trish Dunell

Group one mares Orinda, Rising Romance and Savaria have all changed hands.

The former, the dam of the ATC Derby winner Jon Snow, has been purchased by Peter Yip, of the Hong Kong Breeders' Club, who also has strong New Zealand ties.

"I bought Orinda on behalf of Peter, my business partner in the farm here," Highview Stud's Brent Gillovic said.

"He's had a share in Snitzel right from the outset so we had to get a mare that justified going to him.

"We had a great yearling sales series at Karaka with the Snitzels - we got $525,000 for one and a couple of others at $210,000 and $130,000.

"We also sold a son of Snitzel called Hypnotist for $240,000 at Karaka a couple of years ago. He has won two from two, including an impressive win at Newcastle on Tuesday.

"I was talking to [bloodstock agent] Michael Otto and he mentioned that this mare could possibly be bought and I didn't need any convincing given her pedigree and she's a nice deep-bodied type."

Previously owned by Richard Moore, the O'Reilly mare's first foal is Jon Snow and she also has a rising three-year-old Showcasing colt and a rising two-year-old filly by Pins. She is carrying a full sibling to Jon Snow.

"She's gone to Attunga Stud where she'll foal down and then walk into Snitzel," Gillovic said.

Group one Australian Oaks winner Rising Romance, who also ran top-flight seconds in the New Zealand Derby, New Zealand Stakes, Caulfield Cup, Mackinnon Stakes, Makybe Diva Stakes and Memsie Stakes, is another bound for the Hunter Valley.

"She's been sold to Arrowfield Stud so she's gone to a great home and no doubt she will be visiting a top stallion," former part-owner John Carter said.

Meanwhile, Australian interests have also snapped up the Savabeel mare Savaria.

Raced by Des and Kay Fleming and trained by Roydon Bergerson, she won five races, including the 2015 New Zealand Oaks and the 2017 Wellington Cup. Bergerson said the mare's record could have been that much better, but for persistently striking rain-affected ground. "It was a standing joke with other trainers to put Savaria in the race if they wanted a wet track."

- NZ Racing Desk