Breckon Farms Proud to Play a Part in Record-Breaking Sale

Breckon Farms has once again solidified its place at the forefront of the harness racing industry, making headlines at the NZB Standardbred Sale in Auckland.

Lot 73, an exceptional colt by Captaintreacherous out of the multiple Group One-winning mare Bettor Twist, sold for $360,000. This sale not only made him the equal top lot of the auction but also set a new Australasian record for a Standardbred yearling.

Following the sale, Breckon Farms’ Ken Breckon spoke to NZB Standardbred.

“We race some pretty good fillies as part of our fillies syndicates and have had good results. That enables us, once they’ve finished, to start their breeding careers. Bettor Twist is one of them. She won seven Group 1s, and the fillies syndicates have helped us to improve our broodmare band.”

This approach has clearly paid dividends, as Breckon Farms was once again crowned the Leading Vendor for Auckland for the fourth consecutive year. The farm sold 23 lots, achieving a total aggregate of $2,022,500.

NZB Standardbred Manager Cam Bray reflected on the encouraging first day of selling, noting the strength and optimism within the industry.

“It’s been a great day for harness racing. The positivity on the grounds has been fantastic, but we never expected to witness the results we did today. It’s amazing what 12 months can do, and the New Zealand spend being up more than $1 million on last year is a sign of confidence in the industry at the moment. There was strong competition, with 18 lots selling for $100,000 or more, compared to just nine last year.”

Ken Breckon echoed this optimism.

“The game’s evolving, and it’s exciting. With Entain, they’re just changing the game. I think we will see more changes in the next 12 months. New ideas from HRNZ with Brad Steele, with initiatives like Next Gen—we’re all hopeful for the future of this industry.”

With record-breaking results, a thriving market, and strong industry backing, the future of harness racing in New Zealand looks brighter than ever.