Tuesday, 2 June 2009: Bid Spotter's sale at the 2007 Magic Millions attracted more widespread news coverage than any other yearling and the now-gelding gets his chance to make headlines again in this weekend's Group 1 Queensland Derby.
 | Tara Reid
Photo by Racing and Sports | |
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Being by Redoute's Choice from the Sir Tristam mare Isolda conqueror of Octagonal in the 1995 G1 Champagne Stakes - Bid Spotter was always going to be a highly sought after yearling.
Vendor Gerry Harvey however assured the colt would attract an even wider viewing audience when enlisting Hollywood party girl Tara Reid as a guest 'bid spotter' as the colt pranced around the ring.
Reid had been brought to Australia to help promote the Magic Millions carnival and paparazzi followed her every move.
It was well promoted that Reid would be on stage to help 'spot' for Lot 30 and regulars commented they had never seen more television cameras or journalists on deck at a Magic Millions sale ever, as bidding went on for several minutes.
With a flood of flashlights and television cameras focusing on her, Reid was animated in her role, as auctioneer Steve Davis commented he had never seen a better looking bid spotter.
When bidding halted, Reid held the call, with Graeme Rogerson the successful bidder at a substantial $850,000.
Rogerson, who also trained Isolda, confessed to not knowing of Reid, who starred in the cult-hit American Pie, but said my better half knows her well.
I know who she is now! he said at the time.
I reckon she got an extra 150 (thousand) off us. I think she has just paid for her trip here with this one horse.
Rogerson said he valued the colt at around the seven or eight hundred thousand dollar mark, but was happy to go to $850,000.
It just means I will put Gerry in for a share, he laughed.
That jibe came to fruition, with Harvey now a partner among a sizeable team of owners racing the promising stayer.
Named Bid Spotter, the colt looked for a long time to be yet another high priced flop.
After a stakes placing to Sebring on debut, Bid Spotter failed to notch a place in three subsequent starts before being beaten 5.5 lengths as an odds-on favourite in a Gosford Maiden.
Things started to turn around when breaking his maiden next time out at Kembla before a Flemington failure ended his 3yo spring campaign.
Returning as a gelding, Bid Spotter has found his niche over longer trips this time in.
He romped home over 1800m at the Kensington track in April and has since posted impressive wins at 1900m and 2000m to earn his spot in the Derby.
He still has a way to go to justify the $850,000 price tag, but at least now he is heading in the right direction and he is currently rated second favourite behind Shocking for Saturday's $500,000 feature.
Bid Spotter is out to give Redoute's Choice his second Queensland Derby, after Empires Choice scored two years ago.
Rogerson rates Bid Spotter a promising stayer in the making and believes he is more than capable of winning a very good race hopefully starting with Saturday's Derby.
