Strong Summer Sale Concludes NZB National Yearling Sale

The final session of New Zealand Bloodstock's 100th National Yearling Sale was held at Karaka Jan. 29, highlighted by a strong first edition of the Karaka Summer Sale. A total of 112 yearlings sold for more than AU$3.4 million (US$2.38 million, AU$1=US$0.70), averaging AU$30,612 (US$21,428), with six lots reaching AU$100,000 or more and a clearance rate of 82%. NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook said the week delivered outstanding results under the new format. "To sum it up, this week we've turned over AU$9.6 million more than last year, with 79 less horses cataloged," he said. "We're just over the moon, seeing these results from the new format. "The Karaka Summer Sale today was one of the strongest sessions, almost matching Book 2 results from last year. It's just been a phenomenal week all around, celebrating such a big milestone in New Zealand Thoroughbred history, and returning almost AU$96 million back to breeders. "Our vendors have done an incredible job presenting their yearlings, our buyers supporting the sale so well and our whole NZB team who have all contributed to its success. "We're looking forward to the demand for our yearlings continuing to our Online Yearling Sale, where of course the outstanding filly Well Written was purchased from." The top lot of the day was Lot 958, an Armory (IRE) colt out of Hanako offered by first-time vendor Stew McGregor and purchased by John Foote Bloodstock for AU$130,000 (US$91,000). "We're so, so thrilled," said an emotional McGregor. "To have that amount of people and trainers come through and inspect him, it's really neat. We hope he's got an exciting future for us to follow." McGregor also acknowledged the support of nearby stud farms: "Dean Hawkins, Windsor Park Stud and others around me have been instrumental in helping me along the way. It's a team sport, alright." Queensland-based agent Foote was active across all three books at Karaka, purchasing 14 lots in total and he said he was taken by Thursday's session topper. "He's a lovely big 3-year-old type," he said. "He's a lovely moving horse with plenty of him. His pedigree's quite good when you go back into it, being from the family of Zirna and the three-time Hong Kong winner Super Football. "I just took to him, so we bought him." Foote has been impressed with the progeny of Armory, who also had a pair of colts sell for AU$65,000 each Thursday and had progeny sell for up to AU$625,000 at the Karaka Ready to Run Sale in November. The Mapperley Stud stallion's oldest progeny are 2-year-olds, and he has already been represented by early winner Silhouette. Foote added: "There was one sold earlier for about AU$65,000 that was with Little Avondale, which was a nice horse and I saw a few last year that I liked as well, so I have liked a good few of them." Foote's other Summer Sale purchase Thursday was Lot 951, a Redwood (GB) colt from the draft of Westbury Stud. Foote paid AU$100,000 for the son of the Sebring mare Florid Affair, who won two races and is the dam of winners Part Time Lover, Mossfair, Ornate, and Bid in a Hurry. "Russell Warwick told me about six weeks ago, 'I've got one horse for you to buy, and you've got to buy it,'" Foote said. "He said it's the best horse he's bred for a long time. So we'll see." Both Summer Sale colts, along with the majority of Foote's dozen other purchases for the week, are destined for Hong Kong. Westbury Stud led the Karaka Summer Sale vendors by aggregate and average, selling seven lots for a total of AU$432,000, while Redwood was the leading sire. Victorian trainer Patrick Payne finished as the leading buyer of the final session, purchasing three lots for AU$236,000, including a AU$100,000 Redwood colt (Lot 938).