Sydney agent Anton Koolman was under-bidder for the top-priced lot at the NZ Bloodstock 2YO Sale on Thursday but he did come away from Karaka with a strapping son of Swettenham Stud sire Equiano.

Koolman missed out on the $460,000 sale-topper – a full brother to Savabeel Group 2 winner Diademe – after a heated bidding duel with Warwick Farm trainer Bryce Heys.  He resurfaced later in the session to buy an Exceed And Excel – Diamond Masque colt for $430,000 and the Equiano – Check in Time colt for $150,000.

“We put in plenty of hours of study and narrowed our short-list down to those three colts,” Koolman said.  “I really liked the Equiano colt on type.  And for that sort of money, he was definitely worth a punt.”

Lyndhurst Farm offered the Equiano colt after pin-hooking him for $80,000 at the Adelaide Magic Millions earlier this year.  He was bred by Bryan and June Terry who raced his dam to win a Murray Bridge maiden in just a handful of starts as a summer three year-old.

The South Australian couple also have a yearling colt and a filly foal by Equiano out of Check in Time.

Koolman will send his colt to Sydney this week before choosing a trainer.  “I bought him for some friends and clients in Hong Kong.  He’s a big colt so we won’t be pushing him too early.”

Equiano (Fr) has a draft of 20 foals catalogued for the Tattersalls December Sale commencing next Wednesday, November 26.  Among them is the sister to Equiano filly Ventura Shadow (Lot 1323) who won by three lengths last time out at Redcar.

KARAKA EQUIANO – CHECK IN TIME COLT