Gervase Park owners Chris and Andrea Gales celebrated on both counts as a vendor and buyer on Wednesday.
Their Perth Magic Millions graduate Yorga Pride was a dominant debut winner at Bunbury and they bought a bargain with a $12,000 bid for Divine Flirt at the Inglis Digital October (Early) Sale.
Yorga Pride (3f Pride Of Dubai – Lady Vega by Lope de Vega) had won a Lark Hill barrier trial in September and went out a $2.90 favourite first-up for trainers Grant & Alana Williams and stable jockey Willie Pike.
She had to work overtime to take control in the early stages and then let down like a seasoned pro in the straight to score by a half-length from The Agency (A Lot). “She’s a speedy girl with a bright future,” Team Williams posted on Facebook.
“That was a tough front-running display and it was also a milestone for our ‘All Ladies’ colours making their first appearance in the winners circle. And congratulations to Rhani Valentine who received the Strapper Of The Day Award sponsored by Western Racepix.
“Rhani strapped multiple horses at Bunbury with a smile on her face the whole time!”
Gervase Park bred and sold Yorga Pride for $120,000 at last year’s Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale. She’s the first foal from Lady Vega who also has a yearling colt by Tiger Of Malay and a filly on the ground by Playing God.
Lady Vega was purchased off the track by Gervase Park for $22,500 at the 2020 Inglis Digital August Sale. She has a blueblood pedigree through Irish-bred third-dam Park Express (Ahonoora) who was a Group 1 winner of the Nassau Stakes (2000m) at Goodwood and Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) at Phoenix Park in 1986.
At stud, Park Express foaled the Group 1-winning Australian shuttlers New Approach (Galileo) and Shinko Forest (Green Desert).
Gervase Park added Divine Flirt to their boutique broodmare band at Belhus in the Swan Valley from Bridge Patrol Lodge. She’s a 7yo daughter of Playing God and won three races up to 1300m at Belmont earning credits of $4,247 with EPONA.
Her NZ-bred dam O’Flirty (O’Reilly) was a Listed winner over 1400m in the Lindsay Rosenthal Stakes and Burgess Queen Stakes in 2004. Second-dam Irish Flirt (McGinty) won 7 races up to a mile in the G3 Thames Valley Stakes at Te Aroha.
“The owners don’t want to breed from her but she will make a lovely broodmare,” trainer David Harrison said. “She’s well-balanced with a fantastic temperament standing 15.3 hands and weighing 490 kgs.”