One of the surprise stars of the 2020 harness racing season in New Zealand has reportedly been sold to North American interests.
According to Harness Racing New Zealand, a deal is in place for acing mare Beyond Words to be purchased by United States-based owner Richard Poillucci, the man who raced former Kiwi-bred world champion Shartin.
“It is a big money sale but she will do a super job up there,” agent John Curtin told HRNZ.
Beyond Words has been one of the stories of the harness racing season, emerging as an unheralded maiden on August 7 to win the hands of then co-trainer Mark Purdon before now likely ending her New Zealand career with five wins from nine starts including a Grade 1 Queen of Hearts victory over stablemate and subsequent Auckland Cup winner Amazing Dream.
Owner and breeder Brian West admits he would have loved to keep Beyond Words but as a lifelong breeder he is being realistic.
“I am 70 this year and I have to look at the future,” says West of Studholme Bloodstock. “I have had up to 100 mares here on the farm and I have been going through the process of re-homing some of them.
“Some of them are mares I haven’t even bred from or even raced because I simply have to cut numbers down,” West continued. “I have got that down to around 60 mares here on the farm and I’d like to take that number down further to make it more manageable...after all, I am not getting any younger and some nights I am not finishing with the horses until after 9:00 p.m. and it is bloody tiring.
West stated that he's very proud of his mare's accomplishments and "I hope she does a wonderful job for them up in the States" if the sale is finalized.
(with files from HRNZ)