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Bester’s eye and his Karaka buy
James Bester has long been regarded as one of the best judges of a yearling in Australia. The former South African also is known for his frugal buying, so when Bester won the bidding for the $NZ2 million sale-topping Zabeel-Diamond Like colt at Karaka on Tuesday, I took a lot of interest. (I wasn’t at the sale, the second I’ve missed since 1996).
And when he said the colt (pictured at Karaka) was “physically the best yearling I have seen in the southern hemisphere”, I can understand why Bester kept bidding.
“Chiefly I buy on conformation and this colt was exceptional, but to also present with the best page in the sale is extraordinary. Zabeel on Danehill is outstanding, and a very fast mare more to the point to counter Zabeel’s staying influence.“It was easy to spend that sort of money when you know the background the horse has had, and being from Cambridge Stud, from that family, I had every confidence,” he said.
The breeding buffs who live in a world of nicks and crosses, won’t like to hear that Australia’s most efficient buyer of good horses from the yearling sales – and I’d argue Bester has few peers – is first and foremost a conformation buyer. Other outstandingly successful yearling buyers like George Smith and Lee Freedman also stand by the conformation-first adage.
After spending a fair bit of time with Bester looking at yearlings – he’s free with his theories when out in the field – I was keen to study the video of the Zabeel-Like Diamond colt. The colt fits the Bester model perfectly – he has athleticism, style, balance, perfect head-carriage, beautiful head, great length of hip on a well-rounded rear, sloping shoulder, deep girth and he is correct. Most importantly from Bester’s point of view, the colt moves like a cat, is effortless and light, with a Bester-loving straight, ground-skimming front action. View the pedigree and video.
The colt, a bay out of Diamond Like, a Stakes-winning “princess” from New Zealand’s royal thoroughbred family, a family founded by the imported broodmare gem Eight Carat (GB). Like Diamonds, by Danehill (USA), is a fast daughter of the brilliant Group 1 winning filly Tristalove (b m Sir Tristram–Diamond Lover (NZ), by Sticks And Stones from Eight Carat (GB)).
Diamond Lover, a Group 1 winner of the Railway Stakes (1200m, Trentham) is the dam of four Stakes winners, including Don Eduardo (2002 Group 1 AJC Derby 2004, Randwick) and Tristalove, who won the 1993 Group 1 AJC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m Randwick) and Group 1 South Australian Oaks (2400m, Morphettville).
Like her dam, Tristalove, who died in 2005, has produced four Stakes winners – Viking Ruler (Group 1 Champion Stakes, 2000m, Randwick), Kempinsky (G2 AAMI Vase, 2040m, Moonee Valley), Lovetrista (2008 Group Waikato Gold Cup, 2400m, Te Rapa) and Diamond Like (2003 Listed Lightning Handicap, 1200m, Trentham).
As you can see, because of the speed influence of Diamond Lover’s sire Sticks And Stones, a son of Todman and Noholme’s brother Faringdon (Star Kingdom-Oceana), this is essentially the “fast” side of the Eight Carat family, although Don Eduardo, Viking Ruler and Kempinsky were stayers.
It’s the speed influence of Diamond Like that appeals to Bester in the pedigree, otherwise I doubt he’d pay $2 million for a Zabeel, with the prospect of the colt needing to be gelded on his way to the Melbourne Cup, as most Zabeels do.
Bester bought the colt for a group of four clients, most of whom have successfully invested in yearlings on Bester’s advice in recent years, including the star filly Virage de Fortune and the Group 1 placegetter Von Costa de Hero.
Bester’s Karaka purchase was the highlight of a sensational two days of selling at New Zealand Bloodstock’s beautiful complex. The money flowed to produce an average of $183,119, up 26 per cent on the average of 2009 – a tremendous result for New Zealand Bloodstock.
The average was below the heady, Nathan Tinkler-inspired 2008 result when the average was a few dollars shy of $200,000. The 2007 average was a record $156,567.
I missed seeing this guy in the flesh Danny but thanks for putting it so succinctly.
A fascinating sale in a number of ways. Did the buyers, particularly the Aussies, come for the stayers and classic type of horses. Who could have predicted $600,000 for a Pentire! Even the handful of Golan’s sold incredibly well. One only imagines what the aggregate could have been if High Chapparral had stood that season.
I thought Pins and O’Reilly would be punished for huge numbers but both stood up very well. Pins in particular had a great line-up of yearlings I thought. It was interesting to see so many going to Australia and to a cross section of buyers because his record over there is nowhere near as good as home.
As always there were casulaties – sadly Savabeel was savaged by buyers and some who pinhooked Holy Roman Emperor weanlings will be keeping their heads down.
The last word should probably go to Bart Cummings and the many positive statements in his recent autobiography about the great start to life young horses have here. Thats publicity money cannot buy.
And of course, good to see there’s plenty of life left yet in Zabeel.
John,
Thanks for your informative summary of the Karaka Premier. As much as I like Pins, I was surprised at how popular and expensive his yearlings were. I suspect this is the crop that came from the better mares he covered after El Segundo emerged. But Golan – can’t believe how well they sold!
I wouldn’t be too keen to jump off the Savabeel wagon as his stock will improve with age. Holy Roman Emperor sold better in Australia. His stock that have thrown to him are chunky, and not the type you go to New Zealand to buy. If you go Newcastle, you buy coal – at Karaka, I want to buy horses with scope and stamina.
I think Zabeel with continue to be popular because he is getting closer to the end. It’s interesting that Demi O’Bryne was trying to buy the Zabeel-Diamond Like colt for Coolmore — when was the last time Coolmore were interested in a Zabeel?