Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir created one of the major highlights on day five at Karaka on Friday when his son out of the Pins mare Knockout was sold to the bid of Alex Oliveira for $150,000.
Consigned as Lot 894, the athletic colt comes from an extended family of international black type performers including former Singapore star Titanium, Australian Group Three winner Zanetta and multiple Hong Kong winner Astimonti.
Oliveira, acting for Paul Chow’s Tartan Meadow Bloodstock operation, headed off a slew of online and local bidders to secure the colt that he had first earmarked after seeing him on the farm at Rich Hill Stud.
“He is a lovely walking colt and that was what first caught my eye,” Oliveira said.
“I saw him on the farm and ticked him off to have a second look and the more I saw him, the more I liked him.
“Some horses are like that and I just really liked him.
“It was a tough buy as there were plenty on him, but I was of the mind that I wasn’t going to stop, within reason, although I am no David Ellis.
“We were just very keen to get him.”
Oliveira had been extremely active during the Book 1 sale, securing 12 yearlings for Chow, while this colt represented his second purchase in Book 2 after outlaying $40,000 for a Derryn colt (Lot 840) from the Grangewilliam Stud draft earlier in the day.
“Paul and I have been working together for about 11 years now,” Oliveira said.
“Pretty much everything we buy comes back to my place for education and a trial and then they will either be sold to go up to Hong Kong or directly there for clients that we work with already.
“We have had a lot of luck with the Proisirs and I am a big fan of the stallion, so that is why we were keen on this colt.
“I think we have around 14 we have bought this week and may be looking for one more before we finish up.
“I have been really impressed at the stock on offer this year and I think the later sale date has contributed to that.”
Oliveira made good on his promise as he went to $130,000 to secure Lot 941, the colt by Waikato Stud’s first season sire Ardrossan, who was consigned through the Prima Park draft.
Rich Hill principal John Thompson was also thrilled with the result for his resident sire after another Rich Hill stallion in Vadamos provided the biggest highlight on day one of the Book 2 sale when a colt offered through the Haunui Farm draft fetched $180,000.
“He was a very well inspected colt with good x-rays and a clean scope so we sort of expected there would be a lot of attention around him,” he said.
“It is a great result for Proisir as everyone knows he started at a $7,000 service fee and has upgraded those mares.
“We have so much to look forward to next year as he covered 150 mares two years ago of a lot better quality and will likely have 20 horses in Book 1, whereas until now he has been surviving on five or six in Book 1.
“I think he is a real asset for breeders and one of the upcoming stars of the industry.”
Thompson had further reason to celebrate Friday’s results when his freshman sire Ace High secured a $140,000 sale as Lot 937, a colt out of Miss Milliner, a half-sister to Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) winner Kibbutz, was purchased by Patrick Payne from the Archer Park draft.