The Bostonian has given Tony Pike plenty to smile about over the last few years and he is hoping his half-sibling will be able to bring him and her new connections half the pleasure.
The Cambridge horseman secured lot 474, the Almanzor filly out of Keepa Cheval, the dam of The Bostonian and a half-sister to nine-time Group One winner Mufhasa, from the draft of Waikato Stud.
Pike was commissioned by The Oaks Stud principal Dick Karreman to purchase his pick of the fillies at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, and he believes he has done just that.
“On type and pedigree, she was the star of the show,” Pike said. “She is a lovely walking filly with a great attitude, and I know the family well with The Bostonian.
“It is a fantastic result, and I am really looking forward to getting the filly in the stable.
“She is very similar to her brother.”
Pike was pleased with his purchase and he thought he may have needed to extend a little further to secure the filly.
“I personally thought she may have made a bit more, but we valued her at about the $400,000 mark and we went one more bid to get her,” he said.
The Bostonian is currently spelling at breeder-owner David Archer’s property after his spring campaign was cut short as a result of an ongoing fetlock issue that surfaced following his seventh-placing in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m).
“He is going to get x-rayed in a couple of weeks’ time and if the vets are happy there is a chance he will come back into work at the end of the month (February) with a possible Brisbane campaign,” Pike said.
“He has got an arthritic fetlock. He has had it for a while and we have managed it really well for the last couple of years.
“In Sydney it just flared up again, so unfortunately, he had to head back to the paddock for a fair bit of time to let it settle down.”
Pike has purchased nine yearlings at Karaka so far this week and he said New Zealand Bloodstock should be happy with the results of the sale.
“I think it has been very strong for the right horses,” Pike said. “I think NZB will be very pleased.” – NZ Racing Desk
