Perry gets his Savabeel filly … eventually
Bruce Perry could have saved his Elsdon Park client Lib Petagna $20,000 had Jamieson Park’s James Chapman accepted the agent’s unsolicited paddock offer for a Savabeel daughter of Group 1-winning mare Thee Auld Floozie (Mastercraftsman).
Acting for Petagna, Perry paid $620,000 for the half-sister to Just A Floozie (I Am Invincible) who was sold through Jamieson Park as the second–last lot through the ring on day two.
She is the fourth foal out of the versatile 11-time winning mare and her older sibling, the Peter and Dawn Williams-trained Just A Floozie, who ran fourth behind the unbeaten Crocetti (Zacinto) in the Almanzor Trophy (Gr 3, 1200m) at just her second start on Saturday.
“We’ve had a lot of success with Savabeel fillies in the past, and she reminded me a lot of those very best ones,” Perry said.
“We loved Orchestral last year and had a really good crack at her last year, and we also liked the half-sister to this filly that ran in the three-year-old race the other night. So, we know the family well.”
Chapman also reminded Perry of his earlier overtures for the valuable filly.
“I see quite a bit of James’s horses in the paddock throughout the year. I think, at one stage, I offered to him, ‘Will you take 600 for that filly in the paddock?’ And he just reminded me. He said, ‘You offered me 600 in the paddock for that horse’,” Perry said.
“So, I thought she was a beauty, and I think she’s got a lot of residual value. The half-sister by I Am Invincible goes particularly well – she ran a huge race the other night, so there’s a lot of upside.”
Petagna races a lot of horses in both New Zealand and Australia and the well-bred filly could be placed with a trainer in either country.
“She’ll go back to the farm and get broken in and we’ll just see how she goes. With what’s happening here in the industry, there’s a big carrot now to probably retain more horses in New Zealand,” Perry said.
“It gives you the confidence, I think, to get these nice horses and have a go. And Australia’s only three hours away, so I think it’s brilliant.”