The NZB Ready to Run Sale has established itself as an impressive source of winners of some of Australasia's most prestigious classic races.
Graduates of the Ready to Run Sale, which will be held on 16 & 17 November at Karaka, have won four Derbies since 2011.
Sangster (NZ) (Savabeel), who cost $19,000 at the 2010 Sale, won the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington in 2011 – less than a year after his purchase. Overall Sangster won six races and in excess of $2.1 million, more than 100 times his purchase price.
Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) was purchased for $220,000 at the 2013 Sale.
In March and April of 2015 he became the first horse in 30 years to win both the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m). Victories in these coveted events, plus the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) as a four-year-old, earned him more than $4 million in stakes and a stud career at Windsor Park Stud.
The fourth Derby win came earlier this year when $90,000 Ready to Run Sale purchase Well Done (NZ) (Falkirk) came home with a brilliant finish to win the Sgp-1 Singapore Derby (2000m) at Kranji.
Well Done recently finished second in the Sgp-1 Kranji Mile (1600m) behind fellow Ready to Run graduate Debt Collector (NZ) (Thorn Park), who also won the Sgp-1 Singapore Guineas (1600m) and now has this season's edition of the Derby in his sights.
Ready to Run graduates have also put together a proud record in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), with two victories in the last three years. The 2013 winner was Atlante (Fastnet Rock), who cost $200,000 at the 2012 Sale. He performed with distinction on both sides of the Tasman during his racing career and now stands at Mapperley Stud.
The following year's 2000 Guineas winner was Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj), who burst clear of his opposition for a spectacular three-length win. Purchased for $52,500 at the 2013 Sale, Turn Me Loose has now won more than $1.5 million in prizemoney courtesy of further Group 1 victories in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) and Futurity Stakes (1400m) in Melbourne.
For further proof that Ready to Run graduates can mix it with the very best classic performers, look no further than the result of this year's Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham. The winner that day was the $65,000 Ready to Run purchase Dukedom (NZ) (Bachelor Duke), who lowered the colours of both the New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Xtravagant (NZ) (Pentire) and the subsequent New Zealand Derby winner Rangipo (Stryker). The previous year's Levin Classic was won by another Ready to Run graduate in Gaultier (NZ) (Rios).
The proud record of Ready to Run Sale graduates could be boosted further this season by the impressive Hall Of Fame (NZ) (Savabeel). The talented colt, who was purchased for $230,000 at last year's Sale, has won three of his six starts including last Saturday's $70,000 Listed Zacinto Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton. His dominant five-length victory in that event has earned him second favouritism for next month's Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas over the same course and distance. Atlante won the same lead-up race before his 2000 Guineas success.
NZB's Ready to Run Sale Breeze Up clips are now available to view online.
This year's Breeze Ups will also be broadcast lot-by-lot on Trackside TV in New Zealand and Racing.com in Australia. Broadcasts can be viewed or recorded at the following times:
Trackside 1
Thursday 27 October, 11pm – 2.30am
Saturday 29 October, 11pm – 2.30am
Trackside 2
Sunday 29 October, 2am – 5.30am
Monday 31 October, 2am – 5.30am
Wednesday 2 November, 2am – 5.30am
Racing.com
Monday 7 November, 8.30am – 12pm
Monday 14 November, 8.30am – 12pm
DVD copies of the Breeze Ups are available upon request fromreception@nzb.co.nz. Breeze Up clips are also available on the freeiPad application.
For catalogue and DVD requests emailreception@nzb.co.nz.
