Scuse Me keeps ringing the till for Charlie

Like anything connected to harness racing in New Zealand at the moment, if pays to have Scuse Me somewhere in your pedigree if you are racing horses or selling at the sales.

Be it Christen Me or Adore Me on the racetrack or the progeny of Scuse Me or any of  her daughters in the yearling sale ring, Charlie Robert's super broodmare Scuse Me is just dominating the scene like no mare in the history of the sport in New Zealand.

That was reinforced today at the Australasian Classic yearling sale when Charlie Robert's consigned several members of the family to the first of this years sale

The first of the really close relatives of Scuse Me was Lot 9.

Named Praise Be, the son of Bettors Delight is the first foal from the smart Christian Cullen mare Abide With Me 1:57.7 ($36,033) which makes the colt a three quarter brother to both Adore Me 1:51.6 ($1,435,101) and Have Faith In Me 1:53.2 ($201,502)

The dam Abide With Me is a three quarter sister to both Christen Me 1:49.1($1,923,091) and Hands Christian 1:52.5 ($330,824) so Praise Me had a pedigree to die for.

To top it off the individual was as good as the pedigree and from the time he walked into the ring the bidding was fierce.

When the dust settled the colt was headed to the All Star barn at Rolleston after Mark Purdon stared downed the opposition but not before he had outlaid a cool $200,000.

Mark Purdon purchased Praise Be on behalf of  Dennis Dunford and his son Mark who have raced his close relatives Have Faith In Me and Hands Christian from the All Stars barn.  

The next one of the breed to create real interest today was lot 106 and he is named All About Me.

Offered by Charlie, the son of Bettor's Delight is from Scuse Me making him a full brother to the champion mare Adore Me and this years star three year old Have Faith In Me.

The bidding opened at $50,000 and quickly went into six figures as Mark Purdon and Nigel McGrath battled for the great looking colt.

In the end Mark was not to be denied and when the bidding stopped at $180,000 the colt was on his way to the All Stars barn at Rolleston.

lot 106

The third and last of the close relatives that was highly sought after today was Lot 116 named Accumulator.

Another son of Bettor's Delight, Accumulator is a half brother to Christen Me, Hands Christian and a three quarter brother to Adore Me and Have Faith In Me.

The bidding started slowly but then took off and once again it was a Purdon signing the sales docket but this time it was Mark's brother Barry doing the honours.

At $120,000, he was the cheapest of the three close relatives to make six figures.

Charlie must still wonder at his luck when he agreed to buy Scuse Me all those years ago as she has gone on to dominate the New Zealand harness racing scene both on the track and at the yearling sales  like no mare before her.

Harnesslink Media