Anthony Mithen has been sold on the New Zealand
thoroughbred scene for years, but it's only in more recent times that he's
become more directly involved.
And it's been a spectacular entry for the Victorian breeder, who has hit the
jackpot with his first two purchases.
Mithen, who operates Rosemont Stud near Geelong, is a part-owner of the crack
three-year-old and current Gr.1 New Zealand Derby favourite Volkstok'n'barrel
and the Gr.1 Levin Classic runner-up Sardaaj.
"I came over here in 1993 and watched Octagonal being sold," he said. "That was
the first sale I had ever attended and I've been fascinated by it ever since.
"I love the people here and New Zealand is a great place to breed and grow out
horses.
"Australians have been buying a lot of tried horses in Europe and I genuinely
think New Zealand has been forgotten.
"We've been a bit spoiled getting into Volkstok'n'barrell and Sardaaj – it's
been fantastic and this game is about having fun, whether it be racing colts,
fillies or geldings."
While Volkstok'n'barrell will continue his future career from Donna and Dean
Logan's Ruakaka yard, Sardaaj will be transferred from Stephen Marsh's
Cambridge team to John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes in Melbourne.
"She's having a spell and will then head over," Mithen said. "She's nowhere
near the finished product yet and I think she'll be a beautiful mile and a half
horse later on."
Rosemont is home to stallions Starspangledbanner, Starcraft and Toorak Toff and
Mithen and his wife Selina have also been in a vendor role at Karaka.
"We've sold four through Phoenix Park and Hallmark Stud, a couple of Toorak
Toffs and we had a Savabeel sell for $150,000," he said.
"We bred him with Waikato Stud, he grew out with a foster mum at Windsor Park
and sold him through Phoenix so we've been spreading the love!" – NZ
Racing Desk.