By MICHAEL GUERIN
What should have been the highlight of standardbred sales week turned into a farce in Christchurch yesterday.
The most eagerly-anticipated lot of the week, Courage Under Fire's brother Sergio Garcia, was bought back for $150,000 by his syndicate of owners.
No problem there. Until syndicate head Ian Dobson, owner of Christian Cullen, dropped a bombshell by announcing the colt, who has been one of the pin-up boys of this week's sales, was not realistically for sale.
After months of Pyne Gould Guinness pumping up the colt and him being the centre of media attention in recent weeks, it turns out he wasn't a realistic buying option.
Dobson announced after the buy back the syndicate were not going to sell Sergio Garcia for less than $300,000, if at all.
That sort of price is ridiculous for a yearling standardbred, with only a handful of pacers even in open class worth over $300,000 in Australasia.
The buy back left a bad taste in the mouths of many at the sale. It meant serious buyers who had travelled from Australia or Auckland, some after forming syndicates to bid on the colt, had completely wasted their time because nobody with any idea of the worth of harness horses would consider paying over $300,000 for a New Zealand yearling.
It also raises questions over the other star lot of the week, Christian Cullen's half-brother by Jaguar Spur who is also part-owned by Dobson.
Named Oscar De La Hoya he will be offered today but buyers could now be left wondering whether he is actually for sale at a realistic price or whether they are again wasting their time.
The buy back was the only dark spot at an otherwise great sale.
The 130 lots averaged just over $16,100, a staggering increase on last year's first day average of less than $11,000.
There were major highlights in the $110,000 paid for a daughter of US stallion sensation Artsplace out of 1:52 mare Bella Chip, who will join the stables of Rod Chambers in Perth.
The New Zealand record for a yearling trotting filly was broken when John Seaton, of Il Vicolo fame, paid $80,000 for a daughter of world champion trotting stallion Pine Chip from open class mare Amy Hest.
The outstanding filly will join Mark Purdon, one of the few top 10 lots this week to join a northern stable.
As expected, In The Pocket was flavour of the day, with his 11 lots averaging nearly $40,000, with good money again for stock of Falcon Seelster and Holmes Hanover.
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Pukekohe filly Dancinonmoonlight could find herself in an unusual position tomorrow night - favourite over Tupelo Rose.
Tupelo Rose has dominated the fillies' ranks in New Zealand and has effortlessly won her only two starts in Australia since joining Ted Demmler's stable in January.
But she has drawn barrier 11 in tomorrow night's $A75,000 New South Wales Oaks at Harold Park and is quoted a $2.75 second favourite behind Dancinonmoonlight.
The latter bolted away with her heat of the Oaks last Friday and after drawing barrier five is a $2.20 favourite for trainers Steven Reid and Tremain Thorby.
Racing: Farcical result for hotshot lot
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