As the curtain came down on a successful New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, a colt by Savabeel out of the O’Reilly mare Miss Opulence, a half-sister to multiple Group One winners Sir Slick and Puccini, stole the limelight late in the piece, topping the sale at $700,000.

Presented by Sam and Hana Beatson’s Riversley Park, who finished as leading vendor for the fourth year in succession, the athletic bay attracted the interest of multiple parties before eventually going the way of Te Akau’s Jamie Richards.

The colt was bred by the Smithies family’s Monovale Farm in Cambridge, who have a close association with Riversley Park.

“We knew from the interest leading into the sale that we had a pretty good horse on our hands, how good we weren’t sure,” an overwhelmed Joe Smithies said.

The prolific cross between Savabeel and the O’Reilly mare Miss Opulence caught the attention of super stable Te Akau who managed to come out on top, securing the colt for a record price.

Sam Beatson was wrapped with his final result, taking out the 2020 Ready to Run leading vendor title for the fourth consecutive year, selling 23 horses for a total turnover of $4,152,500.