KEY POINTS:
David Ellis has a problem that many others would just love - there are too many names in the hat to get a piece of the Stravinsky-Ethereal colt he paid $1.3 million for at Karaka yesterday.
"I'm not going to say this year who's in this horse," said the Te Akau Racing boss minutes after coming out on top of a spirited bidding duel.
"There are more people than I can handle and there are going to be some disappointed.
"I'll be giving the first opportunity to current clients of Te Akau Stables."
Darci Brahma, the yearling that in 2004 was the first seven-figure yearling purchase by Ellis, is the main architect of the rush of interest in high-priced thoroughbred investments.
Since posting his fourth group one victory in the Sharp Telegraph Handicap at Trentham 10 days ago, the son of Danehill has been the subject of intense publicity surrounding his pending stud career.
During the process of finalising Cambridge stud The Oaks as his eventual home, Darci Brahma's value has been set at $10 million, a leap in value on his $1.1 million yearling price tag that would impress any bank manager.
The bold-walking son of Caulfield-Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal, who can also claim Darci Brahma as one of many illustrious relatives, was always going to be one of the most sought after lots in the opening session of the National Yearling Sales.
Bidding opened at $100,000 and rose in $50,000 increments, with a brief lull after reaching $500,000, followed by another surge until Ellis finally held sway with the day's highest price.
Amongst those who took part in the bidding was Australian agent James Bester, but he dropped out at $800,000.
"The bids were coming too fast and furious for us," said Bester.
"He's been bought to take to Christchurch for the Two Thousand Guineas," commented Ellis. "That's the sort of race we feel will suit him."
Te Akau trainer Mark Walker already has a qualified opinion of Ethereal's worth as a broodmare. He trains the great stayer's first foal, the 3-year-old filly Uberalles, who is being set for the Mercedes Derby after scoring a win and a group two placing in her brief career to date.
"Knowing how good the filly is, that was a bit of an advantage when it came to buying this colt," Walker said.
"This colt is just a real athlete and it would be fair to say you can see a bit of both his parents in him. It's a great breed, it could end up as the next Eight Carat family."
* Selling agents New Zealand Bloodstock were delighted with the results of the first of two days of premier selling yesterday.
"It got steadily better as the day progressed and ended up a sensational result," said NZB promotions and marketing manager Petrea Vela.
"To have a 50 per cent increase in our median is simply fantastic."
Statistics showed an aggregate of $26,735,500 for 182 lots sold, an average price of $146,898, compared to last year's overall average of $127,072 and $137,395 in 2005.
The clearance of 81 per cent was on a par with recent years.
David Ellis was again the leading buyer, also paying $680,000 for the Redoute's Choice-How About That colt, the third highest price after the Redoute's Choice-Foxtrot filly knocked down to Australian agent Robert Roulston.
Transtasman trainer Graeme Rogerson was in good form on the buying benches, targeting fillies and signing under the banner of Dormello Stud, the new breeding operation he owns in partnership with his administration manager Denise Howell.
Rogerson's most expensive purchase was a filly by prominent Australian sire General Nediym at $380,000, while others were a Stravinsky at $240,000, a Rock Of Gibraltar at $210,000, a Thorn Park at $180,000 and a Giants Causeway at $155,000.
"Fillies of this quality are a good investment. They're going to all race in New Zealand," said Rogerson, no doubt with his mind firmly on the $1 million Karaka Million scheduled for sale graduates at Ellerslie next January.
