Promising Stuart Kendrick-trained youngster I’ve Bean There has been sold to Hong Kong

Trainer Stuart Kendrick and his family have completed a rags to riches story with I’ve Bean There, selling the two-year-old originally purchased for just $13,000 to Hong Kong for a $900,000 bonanza.

I’ve Bean There looked like he was set to be a spring player in Australia, finishing fourth in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) which was won by Captivant at Randwick in April.

I’ve Bean There was only two lengths off the winner and only a neck behind third-placed Converge who went on to win the Group 1 JJ Atkins during the Queensland winter carnival.’

However I’ve Bean There, a gelded son of Spill The Beans, has been sold to Hong Kong interests after only five Australian race starts.

It continues a familiar theme for Sunshine Coast trainer Kendrick, who was also the original trainer of 2018 Hong Kong Derby winner Ping Hai Star, the horse who won two of three Queensland starts when named Ted before winning four of nine outings in Hong Kong.

Included among other Kendrick-trained horses to have been sold to Hong Kong is 2020 Australian Derby third placegetter Eric The Eel.

I’ve Bean There’s sale will reap some significant family rewards for the Kendrick clan, considering I’ve Bean There had been part-owned and was syndicated by Kendrick’s son Nathan through his Krew Racing company.

Kendrick’s wife Trudy had also been one of the other owners of the promising young gelding.

“We paid $13,000 for this horse and he had already won $150,000 or so in prizemoney – we got $900,000 for him,” Kendrick revealed.

“It was a pretty good windfall for the owners.

“There’s four horses I have sold to Hong Kong in the last few years, I’ve have lost four pretty good horses out of my stable but I think those horses have returned to the owners about $3.5m from their sales and those horses had only cost about $150,000 all-up.

“My son bought this horse and syndicated him and there were a group of blokes who jumped in on the syndication.

“After the Champagne in Sydney there was a few offers tabled for I’ve Bean There.

“It came down to a (owners) vote as to whether to sell him, it was actually a little bit of a mixed vote because a few guys wanted to keep him, but the majority decided to sell him on.”

I’ve Bean There wins the QTIS 2YO Handicap at Eagle Farm in March. Picture: Grant Peters – Trackside Photography.Source:Supplied

Kendrick feels personally that the right decision was made to sell the galloper, especially seeing as he is a gelding.

“It might be different if you’ve got a filly and they have got some good residual value, with the way broodmares are sold,” Kendrick said.

“With geldings, all of a sudden if they put in an average run or two they can be worth next to nothing.”

Originally published asRags to riches: Bargain buy Queenslander sold to Hong Kong

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