26 Jan 2020Prominent owner Gary Harding followed family orders at Karaka on Monday when purchasing a yearling which is set to be trained just an hour north of their Wellington base.
“I have got children and grandchildren in Wellington and they are always at me to race a horse down there so they could watch it,” Tirau-based Harding said.
“I thought I would buy a couple this year and send them down that way.”
He went to $500,000 to secure lot 368, the Exceed and Excel colt out of Tricia’o, out of Cambridge Stud’s draft.
Harding admitted he has a penchant for Exceed and Excel with the Group One-producing sire being the damsire of Bounding who Harding raced to win the Gr.1 Railway (1200m).
She was subsequently sold to America and made headlines last year when her first yearling sold for US$4.1 million.
Harding was pleased with his purchase which is set to join the Otaki barn of Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard.
“I am a bit biased because I had Bounding and I have got a very good two-year-old by Exceed and Excel too. I suppose I am a bit of a fan,” Harding said.
“He scoped out well and vetted up well and I am very pleased to have him.
“I am very pleased with the price, we thought we were going to have to pay a lot more for him.
“He is going to stay in New Zealand initially and then if he comes up he will head to Australia.” - NZ Racing Desk