Photo: Trish Dunell
Highview Stud Manager Brent Gillovic is looking forward to Karaka later this month where yearlings by resident stallion Wrote will be offered in New Zealand for the first time.
Gillovic is heading into the sale buoyed by the feedback he has received from bloodstock agents and trainers.
“They are lovely horses and I have been singing their praises since we weaned them,” he said.
“I think it is the first time trainers have laid their eyes on them and the comments have been extremely positive.
“They are beautiful horses and he is a lovely horse himself. He is very consistent in what he throws.”
Fourteen yearlings by the son of High Chaparral will go through the sales ring under Highview’s draft and will be represented in all three sessions of New Zealand Bloodstock’s yearling sale.
Gillovic has been particularly taken by the Glitter Woman colt (lot 624) who will be offered in the Book 1 session.
“He’s a close relation to Princess Jenni. She is by High Chaparral and he (Wrote) is a son of High Chapparal,” he said.
“He’s a nice horse, but there would also be two or three (Wrote’s) in Book 2 that would easily be the equivalent of him on type.”
Wrote has stood at Highview for the past three seasons and Gillovic has been pleased with his patronage, having served 82, 86 and 72 mares in his respective seasons at stud.
Prior to shuttling to New Zealand in 2017, Wrote stood a couple of years at stud in Florida, USA, and Gillovic said the progeny of the Gr.1 Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf (1600m) winner have accrued some promising race statistics.
“He has had 72 percent winners-to-starters from his first crop, including a stakes horse,” Gillovic said.
“I think whatever he does in America is a bonus and whilst he is a first season sire I think the point of difference is that he has had a couple of crops in the northern hemisphere.”
While Gillovic is looking forward to Wrote’s first yearlings going through the Karaka sales ring, he said he is also bullish about what lies ahead.
“He came here the first year on a shuttle basis and he never went back,” he said.
“I managed to buy him and did a small syndication and the quality of his mares has continued on an upward spiral.
“I have never had so many people ring me and tell me they have got a Wrote foal on the farm and it is the equal of anything there. They are just beautiful animals.”
Meanwhile, Highview will also offer eight further yearlings at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 session.
“I think the best Mongolian Khan is the one out of Permanent (lot 171), a Lonhro mare, he looks like he will come on pretty early,” Gillovic said.
“The Air Force Blue (lot 432) is a standout filly and the other Mongolian Khan I really like is the College Girl colt (lot 513), their full-sister made $170,000 last year.” - NZ Racing Desk
