Written by Bren O'Brien
Each day of the Sale, TDN AusNZ will find a 'value buy', where an opportunity has been spotted - even in this hot sale market.
Bennett Racing back in Zoustar formula
Securing fillies by Zoustar has been no easy task for buyers on the Gold Coast this week, with his daughters selling up to $950,000, but for avid fans of the Widden Stud stallion, Bennett Racing, it was a case of waiting for the right chance.
Lot 187, a filly by Zoustar out of La Fluorescent (NZ) (General Nediym) went through early on the second morning of the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale as part of the Lime Country Thoroughbreds draft and it was the Bennett Racing team who snapped her up for a relative bargain of $180,000.
Lot 187 - Zoustar x La Fluorescent (NZ) (filly) | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
Nathan Bennett and his team sourced Group 3 winners The Astrologist and Zou Dancer, who are both by Zoustar, out of this Sale, both for $150,000, and they have proven flagbearers for the Victorian-based syndication company over the last few years. Bennett Racing also purchased three Zoustar yearlings in 2021.
The $180,000 paid for the filly on Wednesday may be the equal most they have ever paid for a yearling, but Bennett told TDN AusNZ, it a hot market, they felt they had got a real bargain.
Nathan Bennett, Rick Wells and Phil Wells | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"She was a very nice buy. She was a cracking type. We were pretty pleased to pick her up," he said.
"This filly fitted the mould of the Zoustar type that we try to find. She had that beautiful hip on her and is very athletic. We are pretty excited."
"This filly (Lot 187) fitted the mould of the Zoustar type that we try to find. She had that beautiful hip on her and is very athletic. We are pretty excited." - Nathan Bennett
There is plenty of the pedigree to suggest there will be good residual value in this Makybe-bred filly as well. The dam, La Fluorescent, is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Savvy Nature (NZ) (Savabeel) and Group 3 winner Addictive Nature (NZ) (Savabeel) out of the family of Group 1 winner Hasahalo (NZ) (Savabeel).
La Flourescent has five foals to the track for four winners, including the recent city-winner Oughton (More Than Ready {USA}). Her progeny have also fared well through the sale ring, with Oughton a $900,000 Magic Millions yearling, while this filly's sister, Bright Comet, sold to Gai Waterhouse, Adrian Bott and Go Racing for $250,000 last year.
Gallery: La Flourescent's progeny
"It’s a very active family as well, there are a lot of runners to come, so it could improve as we get her through the system," Bennett said. "She is Super VOBIS as well, so she ticks a lot of boxes."
He admitted that with sale averages and medians tracking at record level, there had been a few moments where he was worried he might not get a bid in on a horse in Book 1.
"To be honest, yesterday and part of this morning, I thought we might struggle to buy a horse, but we just stick to our guns and try and buy value," he said.
"To be honest, yesterday (Tuesday) and part of this morning (Wednesday), I thought we might struggle to buy a horse, but we just stick to our guns and try and buy value." - Nathan Bennett
"You have to find those value horses which slip through the cracks, which we do seem to have a knack of doing.
"We have done the homework. We have seen every horse in Book 1 and over the next few days we will get a look at every horse in Book 2 as well. You just have to hope that work pays off and you get those ones that get through."
The Zoustar filly will head to the Pakenham stables of Phillip Stokes.
Phillip Stokes | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"I don't think she will be an early type, she might be an after-Christmas 2-year-old. Generally most of ours are later 2-year-olds," Bennett said.
"We put them in our system and give them 8-12 weeks out after this Sale as it is a lot on them. We break them in and then take it easy on them. They don’t get the trainers until July as we don't like to put that pressure on them too early."
