A half sister to multiple Group 1 winner Duchess Megxit, Princes Lulu has gone full circle even before she’s even hit the racetrack.
Princess Lulu (Captaintreacherous – Kensington Kate) was co-bred by the Patterson Bros Racing Syndicate, the same group that race Duchess Megxit.
They sold her, as Lot 147, at the 2025 National Yearling Sale for $250,000 to Duchess Megxit’s co-trainer Barry Purdon.
But that was not the end of the story
In a bit of a twist her vendors then negotiated a deal to buy her back and she is now in a new and very Next Gen-looking ownership group.
“I’d say two thirds to three quarters would be first time owners or under 40,” says syndicate spokesman Tom Patterson.
The Patterson Bros Racing Syndicate and the Centaurus Syndicate, who co-race Duchess Megxit, have been joined in Princess Lulu’s ownership by a wide and diverse group.
“Three nephews of mine are in and they have 25 or so people in with them, there’s a guy I know who had gallopers and is new to harness racing, plus
Maurice McDermott has a syndicate he’s put together and there are others as well,” says Patterson.
“Altogether there would be something like 50 people involved.”
The Pattersons are well known in both harness racing and hospitality circles. The family owns and runs the Commodore Hotel in Christchurch and they have been associated with a stack of quality horse flesh over the years. Current 3YO Pacing filly of the Year Duchess Megxit is their latest star performer.
And the feedback they’ve had about Princess Lulu so far is encouraging.
“We’ve been told ‘she is no worse than her sister’ at a similar stage,” he says.
That’s a pretty big rap considering Duchess Megxit is a Northern Oaks winner with 12 wins from just 21 starts and more than $1/2m in stakes.
But it’s too early to know when she’ll get to the racetrack.
In the meantime Patterson is trying not to be tempted by the up-coming NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka on June 26.
“I’m thinking I’m not going to buy but I carry the book (catalogue) around with me everywhere I go,” he laughs.
Then again he sold Princess Lulu and look at how that ended up!
To see more about Next Gen click here : https://www.hrnz.co.nz/next-gen-2/
To see the NZB National Weanling Sale catalogue click here : https://www.nzb.co.nz/