In addition to operating their racing stable in Cambridge, the father-son partnership of Ben and Ryan Foote have added another string to their bow with the establishment of St Kilda Lodge as a Ready to Run Sale vendor.
Leading the charge is Ryan Foote, who has been entrusted by his father to oversee a quality draft as St Kilda Lodge steps into the limelight for the first time, with the Footes previously selling under other consignors banner’s, while also regularly trading horses from trials and races.
“Ben’s always sold plenty of good horses over the years. He’s quite into is selling horses abroad, so it’s just something I’ve naturally picked up on when working with him, training horses,” Ryan Foote said.
“He has definitely left me to it. It’s something that I’m keen to get more into, and it’s going to be a big learning experience but he’s always there if I need him.
“We buy 25 to 30 horses every year, and we just put the horses in the sales that we think will suit.”
With 17 two-year-olds initially catalogued, Foote said he expected around 11 lots to step through the ring come sale day.
“It has been going really smoothly. We’ve got a good bunch of two-year-olds this year,” Foote said.
“They’ve all got lovely brains on them which has made things quite easy and it just seems to be getting better every year.
“There’s been a couple little hiccups, as there is, but overall their preparation is going very well.”
Foote has previously backed his judgment of yearlings to good effect and believes the Ready To Run Sale continues to go from strength to strength.
“It’s just a sale that we’ve had a bit of luck at, so we like to keep going to the Ready To Runs,” he said.
“When you are buying them as yearlings, there’s not a big turnaround until the two-year-old sales.
“It’s just a good market. A lot of Aussie buyers are coming over, and Hong Kong buyers, especially, like to see them up and ready to go rather than buying a yearling.”
Lots by Toronado, Alabama Express, Wrote and Bivouac head the draft, but the proof will be in the pudding when the breeze ups take place at Te Rapa racecourse on Monday and Tuesday next week.