New Zealand's unbeaten three-year-old pacing champion Auckland Reactor, sired by Mach Three, has been sold for $3.5 million (U.S.) to predominantly Canadian interests.

John Curtin, Managing Director of J.C. International, today confirmed the sale (aprox. $4 million NZD), which will see the three-year-old continue his racing career in New Zealand for the foreseeable future, with a move to North America expected in the late spring of 2009.

Unbeaten in 11 starts, Auckland Reactor was purchased by a group of nine owners and breeders, six of whom are from Canada. The group includes Dr. Michael Wilson, Tom Kyron, Bill Loyens, R. Peter Heffering, Doug Millard, Irving Storfer, Jerry Silva (United States), Carol Beneke (United States) and Gary Lyons (Australia).

Auckland Reactor has a remarkable racing resume, already having won the Group One New Zealand Sires Stakes Final and Derby, the Group Two New Zealand Flying Stakes and the Southland Supremacy Stakes. He has earned $328,000 and taken a personal best mark of 1:55.9 for 1950m (1.21 miles).

A leading contender for Three-Year-Old Pacer of the Year and Horse of the Year down under, Auckland Reactor has been so dominant in recent starts that he has drawn comparisons with some of the best horses ever to race.

"They're comparing him to Cardigan Bay," said Curtin, "and no horse has ever been compared to Cardigan Bay, and rightly so. If he went to stud today in New Zealand, he'd be jammed up with mares.

"He's one of those horses who has grown in stature each start," said Curtin. "He's improved every race and been very dominant. His last three races have really been the telling point. He's 16 hands – lean and strong – he's quite a big horse."

In his last start – the Southern Supremacy Stakes, a race of 2,700 metres on April 26 in Invercargill – Auckland Reactor turned in one of the most astounding efforts in New Zealand racing history, with a stunning last half mile in 54 seconds flat and a final quarter in :25.9. The finishing fraction, unheard of in Australian and New Zealand racing circles, came more than a mile into the mile and three-quarter event.

"You don't hear of those types of times in New Zealand because we race in jog carts," said Curtin. "Nobody believed it, so they went back and checked the video replay. It was 100 per cent correct."

Trained throughout his career by training partnership of Mark Purdon and Grant Payne, Auckland Reactor was sold by Tony and Anne Parker, who bred the colt.

Purdon and Payne will continue to train Auckland Reactor as he resumes his schedule. According to Curtin, the three-year-old will finish his current campaign with a May 31 engagement in the Harness *****els at Cambridge. From there, he will rest until an expected October return.

All things going well, Auckland Reactor has 23 races in New Zealand and Australia, worth over $5 million, mapped out in his future. Potential races include the World Pacing Cup, Australian Breeders Crown, the Auckland Cup and the Inter-Dominion Series.

"The ideal situation is following the Inter-Dominion in March of next year, they'll bring him to North America in May for some
of the big races at the Meadowlands and Woodbine, before standing stud.

he sounz like a true champion, something that would get me back to the pacers, my old man used to own pacers when i was a kid and i havnt been 4 years but would go to see him. It would be especially good to see him burning up the track at the new menangle park.

How about this for a headline so you don't come across like a wank.....

*****Be excited....be very excited.*****

At the end of the day, it's only going to be good for the sport.

We could be in for something very very special here people. With their styles of racing, Auckland Reactor and Blacks A Fake are likely to be eyeballing each other in the lead at the bell more often than not.....

I don't care if you're not a huge fan of harness.....this could bring back the crowds. Bring on the Inters!!!!!!

Anyone else thinking a pacing Princess Coup???

Difference is that NZ pacing is just as strong, if not stronger than Australian pacing. Whereas there is no doubts that the quality of galloping in Australia is better than in NZ. But we will just have to wait and see.

Nah, this horse is the real deal. He is smashing records left right and centre. Does it easily too.

You're a knob.

Quite a few people give a fuck. Just not about you

Loved Shakamaker and Sokyola. Blacks A Fake runs rings around both of them. Having seen Auckland Reactor's last win and the field which it was against - I think he'll beat Blackie. Seriously good horse is Auckland Reactor. Hope he travels well over here for the MM and we see him at his best. Mouth watering race.

I don't mind the harness - my favourite horse is Smoken Up and I was shattered when I heard he was injured and wouldn't race in this season's majors. But the next few months of Australian harness racing are still going to be awesome.

To do what he did last start, sitting outside of Changeover and beating that horse so convincingly, stunning. Champions are those who can death seat and kick away. I'd love to see what he could do at a big track like Menangle. Harold Park is a b1tch at the best of times. I hate Kiwi's as much as the next bloke, but I'm already a massive fan of Auckland Reactor... and he'll only get better. Standing starts are where the immature lump of a gun is most vulnerable from right now.

Victoria Cup babeh