Need I Say More becomes southern hemisphere winner for No Nay Never.
Coolmore shuttler No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) was handed his first southern hemisphere winner courtesy of Need I Say More's (2 g ex Bo Bardi by Fastnet Rock) victory in the Onsite Auto Electrical 2YO Maiden Stakes (1100m) at Matamata on Sunday.
The two-year-old had his trial form franked on Saturday when Bonita Aurelia (Sweynesse), who he beat into second at a Matamata trial on January 14, landed the Woburn Farm 2YO Classic (Gr 3, 1200m) and he lead from pillar to post eventually beating Cornflower Blue (Savabeel) by two lengths.
Need I Say More will now press on to the Waikato Stud Slipper (Gr 3, 1200m) at Matamata on February 22.
The gelding was purchased at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale by Kilgravin Lodge for $65,000 from the Burnewang North draft and then failed to make his reserve of NZ$150,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Sale in 2019, but was snapped up by David Ellis outside the ring for NZ$130,000.
"There has always been a little question mark around this horse because he has just been so lazy around home," Richards said, who saddled the winners of four out of the eight races on Sunday's card.
"Get him out here when the speakers are going and put a set of blinkers on him and he really wakes up.
"He'll be back here in three weeks for the Slipper."
The son of No Nay Never is the first foal out of the winning Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Bo Bardi, who is herself out of Listed winner Our Golden Dream (Medaglia d'Oro).
Further back this is the family of Listed winners Icabad Crane (Jump Star) and Savvy Street (Street Sense).
The stallion has eight lots catalogued for the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale and three lots set to go under the hammer at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale one of which is a Dissident (Sebring) half-sister to Need I Say More that will be offered by Stockwell Thoroughbreds as Lot 549.
No Nay Never was an instant success in the northern hemisphere where his first crop yielded six stakes winners, including Group 1 winner Ten Sovereigns and he will stand for a career high fee of €175,000 at Coolmore's County Tipperary farm in 2020. Meanwhile, the stallion stood at Coolmore Australia in 2019 at a fee of $44,000 (inc GST) where he covered 83 mares.
