Wolverine (NZ) (Tivaci) will head back to her homeland of New Zealand after fetching A$850,000 in the Queensland Broodmare Sale when snapped up by David Ellis of Te Akau Racing.

“I walked onto the complex today and I was a million-to-one to buy a horse,” Ellis said.

“Sam Bergerson, who runs Te Akau Racing with Mark Walker, took me and showed me this mare that his family had a share in, and I thought, ‘this mare is too young to retire’, so I thought I’d have a crack and at her and I finished up buying it.”

Ellis knows plenty about Wolverine having watched her race in New Zealand many times before her transfer to Australia last year.

“We just beat her in the Karaka Million with Dynastic and then Maven Belle in the Sires (Group One),” he said.

“We’re pretty excited to have her, another nice one for Mark and Sam to train next season.

“For a mare of her quality, I think she was well-bought.”

Consigned for sale by Yarraman Park, Wolverine has not finished further back than fourth in her last five Australian starts, all in Black Type races.

By Tivaci from a super successful Kiwi family tracing to blue hen Hunza (NZ) (Pakistan II), Wolverine is already a multiple Group winner and may enhance her race record and value even further if she finds her best form next season.