Broodmare gem Cullen Who offered on Gavelhouse

Astute breeders will get their opportunity to buy into one of the hottest harness racing bloodlines in New Zealand this week with broodmare gem Cullen Who (NZ) being offered on Gavelhouse Standardbred.

The 12-year-old daughter of Christian Cullen won five races on the track before commencing her broodmare career, where she has been a prolific producer and has formed a formidable partnership with New Zealand champion sire Bettor’s Delight.

All five of her progeny are by the all-conquering sire, with three of racing age, headlined by multiple Group One winner Marketplace (NZ).

Marketplace was purchased out of Barron Bloodstock’s 2023 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft at Christchurch by Phil and Glenys Kennard for $100,000, and has gone on to capture the imagination of New Zealand racing fans.

Entrusted to the care of Yaldhurst trainer Regan Todd, Marketplace took a few starts to find his feet as a two-year-old last season before posting six consecutive victories, including the Gr.1 Sires’ Stakes Series Final (1980m), Gr.1 Ace of Spades (1980m), Gr.2 Sapling Stakes (1700m), and Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 2YO C&G Mobile Pace (1980m), on his way to being crowned New Zealand Two-Year-Old Pacing Colt/Gelding of the Year.

He resumed in his three-year-old term with a placing first-up in the Gr.2 Alabar 3YO Classic (2200m) before returning to winning form with an eye-catching 1-¾ length victory in the Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 3YO C&G Final Mobile Pace (2200m) at Alexandra Park last month.

Cullen Who has also left black-type performers Who’s Delight (NZ) and Who’s Bettor (NZ), with the former having won nine races, including victory in the Listed Uncut Gems Gelding & Entires Classic (1980m), where he posted a best mile time of 1:53.8.

Both Who’s Delight and Who’s Bettor are NZB Standardbred graduates, selling for $130,000 and $90,000 respectively, while Cullen Who’s latest yearling offering was purchased by bloodstock agent Peter Lagan for $190,000 in February.

Cullen Who has given her connections, including well-known race caller George Simon, the ride of a lifetime, but they believe now is the right time to sell their stellar mare and give an opportunity to other breeders to benefit from her bloodline.

“Myself, Tony Barron, Gordon McKenzie and Tony Clark bought her after she won her first race at Forbury Park and then she won about four or five races for us,” Simon said.

“We have had a bit of luck breeding from her, especially with Marketplace coming on the scene. He has just got that quality and presence about him and he is extremely fast.”

With Cullen Who’s success, both in the sale ring and on the track, Simon said it was a difficult decision to sell her, but her ownership group elected as a collective that now is the right time to do so.

Their decision extends a great opportunity to breeders, with Cullen Who offered in-foal to Bettor’s Delight, while the group will also offer her Bettor’s Delight weanling filly to the market as well.

“We have all got our own interests with regards to horses,” Simon said. “I have got so many gallopers now it’s not funny. Gordon McKenzie has got his horses and his broodmare band as well, and he has been successful with Queen Elida being the headline act there, and Tony Barron has a lifelong involvement in the game.

“A couple of the boys said that maybe we should sell Cullen Who (last year). At that stage she was in-foal and we asked around but there were no takers, so we carried on. Just after that Marketplace came out and started winning everything in sight.

“We got together again and had a bit of a chat about it and we thought if the feeling was that there were a couple in the group that wanted to sell, now is the time to strike on the back of what Marketplace has done, and we thought the best and fairest way to do it was is to put her on Gavelhouse Standardbred and let the market decide.

“Once we made the decision to sell, we decided to sell the whole lot, and thought now is the right time to do it.

“We have a reserve on both, the filly on her own at Lot 1 and the mare back in-foal to Bettor’s Delight, but we think they are realistic reserves.”

Simon said this is a great opportunity to buy into an in-vogue family, with there still being plenty of upside in breeding from Cullen Who.

“This is an opportunity to buy into the family with the filly or buy the family jewels, which is the mare in-foal to Bettor’s Delight,” Simon said.

“They (new owners) will have an opportunity to go down any path they want because she (Cullen Who) is still reasonably young enough to do that.”

The two sell among a 19 Lot catalogue of youngstock, racing propositions and broodmares with bidding set to close from 7pm on Wednesday 9th April. 

To view the full catalogue, click here,

From gavelhouse.com