Australian bred Bettors Delight gelding We Walk By Faith won the 2024 Group One New Zealand Derby from Vessem and Harrison John.
We Walk By Faith now has a record of six wins and six minor placings in his 19 starts as a 2yo and 3yo and after Friday’s win his earnings stand at $379,816.
Bred by Benstud Standardbreds, We Walk By Faith was a $70,000 purchase from the 2022 Nutrien Sydney Yearling Sale and his dam Wicked Nights is a walking advertisement for the Nutrien Winter Woolies Sale.
Wicked Nights was sold by Benstud at the 2023 Winter Woolies on-line sale for $15,000 to Tasmanian breeder Brooke Hammond.
She was in foal to Downbytheseaside when sold and in November 2023 she dropped a filly foal which Brooke will offer as Lot 4 in the 2015 Nutrien Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
Wicked Nights is a 3yo winning half-sister to seven other winners headed by Flaming Flutter which won 30 races and $899,341. A South Australian Cup winner, Flaming Flutter was twice placed in Inter Dominion finals behind Beautide and Lennytheshark.
We Walk By Faith was the first Australian bred winner of the New Zealand Derby since Vincent in 2017.
Fittingly, Vessem which finished second in Friday’s Derby is one of 158 winners produced by Vincent to date.
There are six yearlings by Vincent being offered at the 2025 Nutrien Yearling Sales.
If you miss out on Lot 4 in the Tasmanian Sale there is always Lot 317 in the Nutrien Melbourne Yearling Sale.
Lot 317 is the first foal from the Bettors Delight mare Two Times Bettor which, in addition to being a full-sister to Flaming Flutter, won 15 races and $222,555 and was three times placed at Group One level.
Bred by the Johnson family’s Atworthy Park Group, Lot 317 is a filly by Downbytheseaside whose female winners include last month’s Group One WA Mares Classic winner Aardiebytheseaside NZ p,3,1:53.6 $484,828 and the 2023 New Zealand 2yo Pacing Filly of the Year Coastal Babe NZ.
