First time buyer steals the show

First time buyer Graham McClintock stole the show at the NZB Standardbred Sales in Christchurch today when he outlaid $280,000 for Southern Bred Southern Reared filly Moet Shard.

The Bettor’s Delight filly owned and prepared by Mark and Debbie Smith of Shard Farm created a new Australasian record for a filly sold at a yearling sale.

McClintock who runs a 2000 acre cattle and sheep farm in Cheviot in North Canterbury only decided last month to buy at the sales and got friend and trainer Jeff Whittaker to look through the catalogue.

“In the last couple of weeks he came to us to say he was interested in getting into a yearling and said he wanted a horse by Bettor’s Delight out of a Christian Cullen mare. Graham’s been a farmer at Cheviot all his life. He was an active rider up to four or five years ago when he was riding, show jumping and hunting so he’s always been a horse person. His granddaughters ride with my daughter Stephanie so we got to know them through that,” Whittaker said.

Whittaker picked Moet Shard out of the catalogue and sent Northern reinsman Scott Phelan south to view the filly on the SBSR Tour.

“I got Scotty to have a look at her. He was staying at our place with Wainui Creek. We also had a good look at her on Monday night and we were pretty excited with what we saw.”

Whittaker knows the Shard family well as his wife Tracey has a quarter share in Mach Shard who was also a sales topper in the 2016 Sale.

“It’s a pretty nice family. It’s probably one of the best breeds in Australasia. To get a Bettor’s Delight filly out of a Christian Cullen mare from that breed was what we wanted to do. We got a good report from the vet, her conformation was good. She ticked all the boxes so we had a crack.”

McClintock’s granddaughter, who’s in her early twenties, took on the role of bidder for the filly.

“Granddad just told her to keep going. Graham was pretty excited,” Whittaker, who will train the filly said.

He said the price was slightly higher that he expected.

“To be honest I thought we’d have to pay $200,000. I thought we were a little bit overs but Graham was happy to pay that. With the granddaughters we looked at them having a broodmare. We had some other fillies and some colts as Plan B and C but when we got plan A we were happy.”

Whittaker said this foray into harness racing won’t be the first and only time for McClintock.

“I’d say they’ll be back next year.”

Understandably the Smiths were on cloud nine after producing their sale topper and her price well and truly exceeded their $100,000 reserve.

“We walked over to the pavilion and popped the reserve to the auctioneer five minutes before she came in. When she came in the opening bid was $100,000. I’ll have to watch the bidding (video) again but it was just going through the roof. It got to $200,000 that Mach Shard went for. I thought this is amazing then it went to 250, to 260. Afterwards we hugged each other behind the box. It was very emotional,” said Mark.

It’s absolutely unbelievable. We’re here with the new owners having a Moet so there you go.”

Once again it was a fabulous result for Southern Bred Southern Reared yearlings.

John and Katrina Price’s Bettor’s Delight – Democrat Party colt sold to Cran Dalgety for $200,000.

Bettor’s Delight – Democrat Party colt

Vin and Daphne Devery’s colt out of Christian Dreamer was bought by Joshua Dickie for $160,000 while Paul and Mandy Pearce’s Bettor’s Delight colt out of Luminesce was purchased by Phil and Glenys Kennard for $150,000.

A great day.

by Bruce Stewart