Record smashed at Trotting Sale

By Jonny Turner

The Christchurch sales ring was set alight and an Australasian record for a trotting yearling was smashed when a colt by Love You from Queen Kenny sold for the mammoth price of $280,000 yesterday.

West Melton vendor and preparer Tony Barron admitted hours after the sale he was still astonished that his stunning chestnut from his former nine race winning mare burst through the $250,000 barrier before being knocked down to bloodstock agent Peter Lagan.

“To be honest, it still doesn’t seem real,” Barron said.

“We are absolutely thrilled, we were hoping he would go for nice money because he is a lovely colt, but we couldn’t have dreamed of that price.”

Lagan was acting for powerhouse New South Wales owners Emilio and Mary Rosati when signing for the colt.

The Rosatis know all about the premium genetics that flow through the veins of their new purchase.

Their Love You colt’s dam, Queen Kenny, was bred by Phil and Bev Williamson of Oamaru and is from the family of outstanding producers Frances Jay Bee and her champion daughter One Over Kenny.

The Rosatis purchased the highest price trotting yearling from Christchurch two years ago in Ultimate Stride – a Love You colt from One Over Kenny.

They sent him to Phil Williamson’s Oamaru stable and have already tasted group 1 success.

The couple have the same path in mind of this year’s sales topper, who will also join Williamson.

Barron could not have hoped his yearling could have found a better home.

“It is the perfect result,” he said.

“The horse will get every opportunity there and the association we have had with the Williamson family makes it the ultimate result.”

Barron purchased Queen Kenny from the Williamsons after the mare caught his eye in a maiden race at Wyndham in 2014.

The horseman was training at his long time base in Makarewa and had a team entered at the meeting.  

“I watched her run second at Wyndham one day and I asked Phil if that maiden trotter was for sale,” Barron said.

“He said she was but, I want a bit for her.”
“The deal was done in four days and then Phil brought her down to Waikouaiti for me and she won by four lengths.”

Barron owns Queen Kenny with his wife, Cheryl, and Southland breeder-owner Gordon ‘Boof’ McKenzie, of Colac Bay.

Their sales topping colt is named King Cabbl.

Cabbl is an acronym combining the first letter of the christian names of McKenzie’s grandchildren.

McKenzie and the Barrons have two full relations to their sale topper.

Queen Kenny’s Love You 2yr-old, Queen Elida, will have her first start at Addington on Thursday night in Barron’s colours.

Queen Kenny missed to Father Patrick last breeding season before getting in foal again to Love You and having a filly in the spring.

Both Queen Elida and Queen Kenny’s foal are not for sale.

Barron added sales topping breeder and preparer on his extensive harness racing CV alongside winning driver, trainer and owner.

The horseman has built his breeding operation from humble beginnings while solely training horses for a living, to become a successful commercial breeder with a high class band of broodmares.

“It didn’t happen overnight, it built its way up over the last ten years or so after I started with a couple of mares from Bruce Francis.”

Barron hopes his broodmares can keep delivering when the pacing section of the Christchurch sale commences today.

He will offer three Bettor Delight yearlings, as well as a Betting Line yearling and an American Ideal yearling.