Street hoping King Of Swing colt has inherited some of dad’s speed as well as his good looks

From the moment John Street first opened his sales catalogue it was almost inevitable that he’d be taking lot 102 home with him.

Street had only to see the bay colt was by second season stallion King Of Swing to be instantly attracted to him.

And when he saw him in the flesh at Breckon Farms’ parade in January, a box at Lincoln Farms was virtually assured.

Street kept his powder pretty dry all day at Karaka on Monday, intent on buying the colt and, though pushed to $140,000, was delighted to secure him.

King Of Swing made a habit of being decorated with garlands during his 44-win career.Ten years earlier, out of the same sale ring at Karaka, Street bought King Of Swing for $80,000, and won seven races with the horse, including the 2017 Two-Year-Old Breeders’ Crown at Melton.

Then, with earnings of $236,244 from just 13 starts, Street sold King Of Swing for big money to clients of leading Perth trainer Gary Hall.

Though it was “good business at the time” King Of Swing famously went on to become one of the best pacers in Australasia for decades, winning 44 races, including 11 at Group I level.

A three time Miracle Mile winner, he retired in 2022 to Cobbitty Equine Farms in New South Wales unbeaten in 12 starts over a mile at Menangle, with a fastest time of 1:47.9 and a bankroll of $A3.39 million.

Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green couldn’t help but reminisce over King Of Swing when inspecting lot 102.

“I’ve seen a few of the King Of Swings and he’s really stamped them. They’re very similar, they stand out in general demeanour and conformation.

“King Of Swing was a lovely colt too. He was always a beautiful horse to work with. He was the epitomy of what you look for in a racehorse.

“This one’s a nice type too and is very laid back.”

John Street signs for the King Of Swing colt.It was that trait which stood out for Street, who has shied away from paying big money for yearlings in recent years.

“I wouldn’t have gone much higher,” he said on the fall of the hammer.

“But we’ll syndicate him - we have people queued up wanting horses.”

Street said one of his original partners in King Of Swing, long time thoroughbred partner Neville McAlister, had already expressed an interest in taking a share.

“This horse has the potential to be a stallion.”

Street was almost certainly forced to dig a little deeper than Green wanted owing to the colt having won the best presented prize at the previous day’s parade.

Ken and Karen Breckon, second and third from left, with their best presented colt.That afternoon Breckon Farms owners Ken and Karen Breckon and their entire team posed with the colt, decked out in his garland of flowers.

The third equal highest of their sale draft, the colt is out of the Mach Three mare Gladamare who won four races for the Breckons when with Brent Mangos.

Her first two foals to race are both winners, Five Crowns (6 wins) and Stumblin In (1 win).

Second dam Delightful Dale left the speedy Shandale (14 wins), Illavabubbles (15 wins), So Bobs Your Uncle (24 wins) and Im Harvey Specter (8 wins).

The Downbytheseaside filly is related to Line Up and cost $30,000.Earlier, Street paid $30,000 for another Breckon Farms offering, lot 2 a Downbytheseaside filly out of Party Girl.

And, again, it was one particular name on her pedigree page that caught Street’s eye.

The filly’s third dam, Beach Parade, left a number of fast horses including Line Up (11 wins), whom Street bought for $130,000 as a yearling, subsequently selling to Emilio Rosati before he debuted.

Line Up won three races here under Green before transferring to Australia where he bagged both the Victoria and New South Wales Derbies, his career later curtailed by a serious sickness.

The filly’s dam was unraced but her second dam Partyon is well known to Kiwi racegoers. A multiple Group I winner she won 17 races, her first 10 on end, and $658,478 in stakes.

The Sweet Lou - Voluntad colt with the Copy That connection.Street’s third buy was $27,500 for lot 40, Woodlands Stud’s Sweet Lou colt out of Voluntad.

The attraction there was again plain to see, Voluntad being a half sister to Lively Nights, the dam of Lincoln Farms’ champion pacer, now sire Copy That (33 wins).

Lively Nights also left a slew of horses snapped up by Lincoln Farms including Sugar Ray Lincoln (5 wins) and My Copy who won seven for Ray and Debbie Green before being sold to Western Australia.

Lincoln Farms also has in training another of Voluntad’s foals, by American Dealer, Lincoln Dealer who was bought for $55,000 in 2024.

* The sale continues in Christchurch at 11am on Wednesday.