Racing: Massive offer rejected for star 3-year-old Catalyst

Catalyst is the hot favourite to win next month's 2000 Guineas at Riccarton. Photo / Trish Dunell

Dick Karreman has certainly confirmed his desire to enjoy racing top-class horses as he chases further Group One success.

The highly successful Queensland businessman and owner of The Oaks Stud has officially turned down a $2.5 million offer for the exciting three-year-old gelding Catalyst, who is hot favourite to win next month's Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton after annihilating his opposition in Saturday's Gr.2 Sacred Falls Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings.

The offer was declined after Catalyst had scored another highly impressive win in his previous start, the Gr.3 Northland Breeders' Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka last month.

The manner in which the son of The Oaks Stud's flagbearing-sire Darci Brahma left his rivals in his wake on Saturday when cruising to the line in the hands of Troy Harris has resulted in the 3-year-old being installed a raging hot $1.15 favourite for the 2000 Guineas.

Karreman has made a decision to retain some of The Oaks Stud's colts to race rather than the usual stud process of selling all the colts, even most of the less-fashionable ones.

"Dick loves his racing and he made his mind up a while ago he wants to race good horses," Rick Williams, The Oaks Stud's general manager, said.

"I really rated some of them, especially Catalyst, and we decided to hold on to them and try them rather than sell them for little money.

"Dick is in a position where he can do it and I know it's big money for Catalyst, especially being a gelding, but if he sells him he might not find another one as exciting.

"Dick got so many thrills out of racing Seachange and he's got a chance to relive some of those thrills with Catalyst."

- NZ Racing Desk