Life is so often about good timing and beautifully-bred horses and Avontuur General Manager Pippa Mickleburgh was thrilled to watch the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth action from the top farm’s comfortable hospitality zone at the TBA Sales Complex in Gosforth Park on Wednesday.
When Trippi’s athletic daughter October Morn stormed home at her second start to beat the fancied feature placed Golden Sickle in the second, Pippa’s day was made.
Craig Zackey steers October Morn to an easy win in the second race today (Pic – Wayne Marks)
The Candice Bass-Robinson-trained 2yo was ridden by the red-hot Craig Zackey and bred in partnership by the champion breeders and David Abery.
The victory followed an eyecatching fourth place on debut in early February.
Her Master Of My Fate half-sister, aptly named October Fest, comes up as lot 374 on Day 2 of Nationals on Saturday.
Being out of the Gr3 winning sister to Gr1 Mercury Sprint winner August Rush, she is a full-sister to Gr1 winning Equus Champion Tempting Fate and a half-sister to the smart Spring Break.
“Yes, that was a very exciting win and she is a lovely filly. The yearling that comes up on Saturday is classy – she’s tall and a very athletic, correct race filly. It’s not difficult to work out that there’s great paddock value here and there has been plenty of interest in her,” added Pippa.
Selling high-class racehorses may look like a glam job and the charming and vastly experienced Pippa certainly makes it look easy. And with a glass or two of the fine stuff from their beautiful HQ on the R44 just outside of Somerset West always on tap, who doesn’t want to have a peek at the Avontuur draft?
It’s bloody hard work, no matter how fabulous the horses and it’s a long week yet, with two arduous sale days on Friday and Saturday. But as Pippa often says, she wouldn’t be doing anything else!
