Aidan Rodley, Waikato Times Racing Editor, reports on David Ellis' Karaka success.

David Ellis kept to a tried and true formula when he went to $1.3 million to secure a Redoute's Choice colt out of Grand Echezeaux at Karaka.

The Te Akau Racing principal had bought Danehill colt Darci Brahma for $1.1 million as a yearling at Karaka in 2004 and two years later spent $2.2 million on Stravinsky colt Saperavi, both colts also out of the Gr I-winning Zabeel broodmare.

Before yesterday they were the only two yearlings offered for sale from the mare and she made it three from three million dollar babies with the Redoute's Choice colt.

Both previous million dollar yearlings horses raced under the guidance of Matamata trainer Mark Walker with Darci Brahma developing into a star galloper, winning five times at Gr I level and going on to a stud career, while Saperavi was stakes-placed at three before injury cut short his career and he was retired to stud in South Canterbury.

''We're enormously pleased to have this colt in our stable. He's a terrific example of a thoroughbred,'' Ellis said.

''He's got the same quality as Darci Brahma had. He has presented 12kg heavier than when Darci did as a yearling and he's got slightly more cannon [bone]. He's just been a beautiful colt since the day he was born.

''I'm been calling into Pencarrow Stud and looking at him right through. If he was a man, he'd be a model - he's such a handsome guy.''

Ellis will follow the same route as with the previous two and syndicate the colt among 10 stable clients, though he said there were new owners involved in the Redoute's Choice colt and he was one of four colts the syndicate would race.

The others are a Pins-Velvet And Satin colt, also bought for $460,000 from Pencarrow Stud, an Encosta De Lago-Danzanta colt bought for $300,000 from Te Kauwhata's Hallmark Stud, and a Fusaichi Pegasus-Cashier colt for $200,000.

Ellis beat off Nathan Tinkler's Patinack Farm and Hamilton's Graeme Rogerson to secure the three-quarter brother to Darci Brahma, whose first yearlings sold well at Karaka this week.

''It's an enormous relief because this is the strongest sale I've ever been to in New Zealand,'' Ellis said.

''These yearlings have been hard to buy, especially for the Kiwis competing with the Aussies when they only have to pay 79 cents in every dollar. It's hard work.

''There's so much competition on those really good horses and it's so hard to place a value on them. We spent $1.1 million for Darci Brahma so this colt had to make that.

''I thought in this economic client I thought $1.3 million was about his value. I thought somewhere between $1.1 million to $1.5 million.''

Ellis, who admitted he had another bid up his sleeve if he had needed it, was earlier an underbidder on the Zabeel colt out of Diamond Like, which topped the sale at $2 million.

He dropped out after placing a $1.2 million bid.

''I couldn't split them. They're both outstanding colts prepared by the best studs in the southern hemisphere by really top horsemen and it was impossible to split them.

''That's why it was difficult when this horse was at the end of the sale because if you miss out there's no plan B.''

Ellis said he saw the Redoute's Choice colt as an autumn two-year-old.

''He'll be just as precocious as Darci was. He's got the same fantastic attitude,'' said Ellis, who added that he had the same vision he had for Darci Brahma, of making him a top-class racehorse and then New Zealand-based stallion.

The first crop of Darci Brahma yearlings went through the ring during the premier sale, though Ellis was not a buyer of any of the 36 lots.

''We've been knocked out on every Darci we've gone for. The Darcis are selling unbelievably well.''

Pencarrow studmaster Leon Casey was satisfied with the Redoute's Choice colt's price.

''It's a fantastic result really. He's a lovely colt and we've had incredible interest in him,'' Casey said.

''It's about where we thought he'd be. The market is stronger then we expected and for the mare [Grand Echezeaux] to produce three million dollar yearlings, it's a big achievement for her.''

Peter Vela, who owns Pencarrow in partnership with his brother Philip, said: ''Very good. In this sort of market, that's his value.''

Rogerson loved the colt and was disappointed he had gone beyond his budget.

''He was cheap when I was on him but he wasn't an expensive horse. He's worth every cent of that,'' Rogerson said.

CREDIT - AIDAN RODLEY WAIKATO TIMES