Written by Paul Vettise
Two younger members of New Zealand’s racing and breeding ranks have teamed up to take a punt at Karaka. Cambridge horseman Robert Wellwood and bloodstock agent Bevan Smith will be among the buying bench during New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale series in a first-time syndication venture.
At what level and quantity will be determined by the interest in their first time operation, but both have been encouraged by the feedback.
“Racing is not easy at the moment and we think syndication is the way to go.” – Robert Wellwood.
“Racing is not easy at the moment and we think syndication is the way to go,” said Wellwood, who joined Group 1 winning trainer Roger James in a training partnership at the start of this season.
Co-trainers, Robert Wellwood and Roger James
“We’re just a couple of young guys who are passionate about the industry and we’re keen to give it a go and get some more people involved in the game.
“We don’t want to expose ourselves to too much risk and we’ll see what the levels of interest are and go from there.
“We definitely want to get at least one yearling and the feedback will dictate how we go on.” – Robert Wellwood.
“We definitely want to get at least one yearling and the feedback will dictate how we go on.”
Wellwood said their skill sets complemented each other well for the Karaka venture.
Bevan Smith with American Pharoah
“It’s a joint effort and we’ve been mates for years. As an agent, Bevan has got a lot of experience viewing yearlings and I hope I can do it justice on the training side.
“It’s exciting. We’re both young guys in the industry so we have to put ourselves out there.” – Robert Wellwood.
“It’s exciting. We’re both young guys in the industry so we have to put ourselves out there.”
Wellwood, whose experience includes stints at Windsor Park Stud and at Lime Country Thoroughbreds when they were in the Hawke’s Bay, has been with James for just over two years.
During that time he has also accompanied the stablemates and half-brothers Von Tunzelman (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and Sherrif (NZ) (High Chaparral {IRE}) on Australian campaigns.
Robert Wellwood
“With Roger, I have seen every Book 1 and Book 2 yearling, apart from those in the central districts,” he said.
“We want to make it affordable to people to have a share in perhaps a cheaper horse, but still getting a quality product.” – Robert Wellwood.
“We don’t want to go over the top. We want to make it affordable to people to have a share in perhaps a cheaper horse, but still getting a quality product.”
Wellwood has a Bachelor of Business Analysis, majoring in Finance, on his CV while Smith also has academic honours with a Bachelor of Business Studies and a double major in Marketing and Sport Management.
He has worked on Australian stud farms, for New Zealand Bloodstock and a stint running gavelhouse.com.
After leaving NZB at the beginning of 2016, Smith completed the NZTBA Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship, gaining experience and visiting elite farms and racing stables in England, Ireland and America before joining Guy Mulcaster's bloodstock agency.
