The Prices’ run started when trainer Cran Dalgety refused to be outbid on a full brother to star Australian pacer Chicago Bull, eventually landing the standout colt for $310,000.
Then they cashed in again when leviathan owners Emilio and Mary Rosati won a bidding duel to secure their Bettor’s Delight colt from Hartofdixie for a $320,000 price tag.
The Winton had couple been confident their colts would be sought-after.
But John Price admitted he had not dared to dream the pair would sell for a combined price tag of more than $600,000.
"Definitely not.
‘‘We had high hopes for the colts.
‘‘They are lovely colts and we had a lot of interest in them But we definitely didn’t think we would get over $300,000 each for them."
The Prices’ Bettor’s Delight colt from Hartofdixie does not follow the path her vendors typically take to the national yearling sales.
Unlike most of their stock, the new sales record holder was not bred by the couple.
"In the middle of winter last year we bought Hartofdixie, the mare, and a couple of weeks later we had the chance to buy this colt.
"We thought why not. We had bought the mare and we thought we could buy him with the intention of putting through the sales.
"So we are happy with the result."
Earlier their smart former racemare Chicago Blues delivered another standout yearling sales result with her Bettor’s Delight colt.
"She leaves outstanding types."
"Chicago Bull was just a wee fellow, but Perfect Stride and this yearling are magnificent types of horses."
The couple will retain a share in the colt, named Chicago Bear, in Dalgety’s ownership group.
Dalgety was elated.
"In my opinion he was by far advanced on all of the ones I had seen this year," the Canterbury trainer said.
"His attitude was magic, he had an enormously good upbringing on the nutritional side, and his [pedigree] page sold him, too."
Champion sire Bettor’s Delight made it a trifecta at the top end of yesterday’s sale as a colt from Start Dreaming went for $250,000, the third-top lot.
The yearling was knocked down to the All Stars Stable from Studholme Bloodstocks’s draft.
Bettor’s Delight’s stock sold at a stunning average of $115,000 across two days of the pacing section of the Christchurch sale.
- Jonny Turner
