New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale will feature drafts offered by 51 proven and highly respected New Zealand thoroughbred nurseries.
The leading vendor last year was Curraghmore , who sold 11 horses for a total of $766,000 at an average price of $69,636. Their draft included two Tavistock colts who were among the highest-priced weanlings in the Sale, fetching $170,000 and $140,000.
This year Curraghmore is again likely to play a big part, presenting 18 weanlings, two yearlings and three broodmares who are in foal to Power, Proisir and El Roca. The Curraghmore weanlings include progeny of proven sires Savabeel, Makfi and Uncle Mo and newcomers such as El Roca and Wandjina.
"We're confident that our draft this year offers as much potential as those we've previously taken to Karaka," Curraghmore owner Gordon Cunningham said.
"We're presenting a number of genuine horses that we'd be happy to include in any Curraghmore yearling draft."
Lot 30 is the first foal out of the Tavistock mare Avisto, who was a three-time winner at Listed level. Her dam is Miraculous Miss, whose son by O'Reilly set a record price of $525,000 at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale and having already sold at the 2014 Weanling Sale for $160,000.
Cunningham believes the Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock is going from strength to strength with every passing year.
"From a buying perspective, I have no doubt that there is more opportunity for pinhooking value at Karaka in May than at any other sale throughout Australasia," he said. "We see it every year."
Nick and Anne-Marie King's Brighthill Farm finished a close second among vendors in last year's Sale with 15 horses selling for a total of $678,200.
Brighthill graduates have enjoyed an outstanding record on the racetrack in recent times, with more than 25 individual winners in the current season headed by a Group 3 win by Spirit Bird. In earlier seasons, their weanling graduates include the multiple stakes performer Slice Of Class and the Group 2-placed Tavy and Queen Boudicca.
Brighthill Farm will offer 23 horses at this year's Sale – 13 weanlings, a two-year-old and nine broodmares. The broodmares Ulfah (Lot 324), Blossoming (Lot 344) and Real Pzazz (Lot 449) are in foal to Brighthill stallion Dalghar, with a free service to the same stallion in 2017 also included.
Five of Brighthill's weanlings are by Dalghar, with progeny of leading sires Savabeel and Iffraaj also featured. Lot 113, by Savabeel out of Hameeda, is closely related to the recent Group 1 Australian Cup winner Humidor. Lot 278 is out of Sunset Stripper, a half-sister to the dam of Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther.
For William Fell of Goodwood Stud , the return to Karaka for next month's Sale will bring special memories. In 2014, then operating the stud in partnership with his late father Rex, the young studmaster offered a chestnut weanling by Iffraaj out of Double Elle at this Sale. He was purchased by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock, and after selling to Te Akau at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale he was named Gingernuts.
With spectacular victories in the Avondale Guineas, New Zealand Derby and Rosehill Guineas and wild celebrations among his huge group of owners, Gingernuts has become one of New Zealand's best and most-loved racehorses. Most significantly for Goodwood, he became the first Group 1 winner bred by the fledgling stud farm.
Goodwood will offer six horses at this year's Sale, all weanlings. Lot 121 is by Showcasing out of the Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Howmuchyacharging.
Accomplished Taranaki breeder Dan Myers offered his entire 2015 foal crop at last year's Sale, selling 17 horses for an aggregate of $629,000 and an average of $37,000 topped by a $130,000 weanling filly by I Am Invincible.
"We were very satisfied with the outcome," Myers said after last year's Sale. "The approach is certainly something that we'd strongly consider doing again in the future."
Myers has done exactly that, offering his entire crop of 22 weanlings including progeny of sires such as Sacred Falls, Iffraaj, Tavistock, Hinchinbrook, Dundeel, Sebring and Makfi.
This Sale also brings fond memories for Rich Hill Stud , who in 2014 sold both the broodmare Star Band and her weanling daughter by I Am Invincible. That filly cost just $12,000 and turned out to be I Am A Star, who has gone on to win the Group 1 Myer Classic and four other stakes races, plus a placing in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas.
Star Band, meanwhile, was bought for $2000 by Auckland hobby breeders Christine Wilkinson and her husband Craig Gray, the mare has since produced fillies by Shocking, Thewayyouare and Iffraaj.
Another recent Rich Hill Stud weanling graduate is the Group 2 winner Sir Andrew, purchased at the 2011 Sale for $56,000 by Paul Willetts.
Rich Hill Stud has 13 horses in this year's catalogue, including eight weanlings. Lot 267 is by Jimmy Choux out of a sibling to Group 1 winners Recurring and Lady Madonna. Lot 431 is the broodmare Our Chickaroonie, already the dam of Listed winner Italian Princess and three-time Hong Kong winner Love Shock.
Milan Park , owned and operated by Pak 'N' Save supermarket owner Tony Rider, has only been operational for a short period of time but has already made a big splash as the breeder of Group 1 winners Irish Fling and Adventador. Milan Park will offer four weanlings, including a close relative to Legs, Xtravagant and He's Remarkable (Lot 276), along with the stakes-winning broodmare Brianna (Lot 347).
The popular Smithies family of Monovale Farm were rocked last year by the sudden death of the farm's co-founder Paul, but they are committed to continuing the family's breeding dynasty which has produced Group 1 winners Sir Slick, Puccini and Platinum Witness and Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng.
Monovale Farm will offer seven horses at the Sale, plus a stallion share in Alamosa. Lot 208 is a weanling Ocean Park colt from the family of Group 1 winners Glamour Puss and Vision And Power among many other stakes winners. Broodmare Candybelle, in foal to Alamosa, descends from the famous Belle family founded by James and Annie Sarten – a family made famous in recent months by the Karaka Million and Group 1 winner Melody Belle.
Boutique nursery and preparation farm Cambria Park , with the backing of prominent owner-breeders and sponsors Brendan and Jo Lindsay, will consign a quality 20-horse draft featuring a number of well-bred weanlings including a colt by Foxwedge out of the Group 2-winning mare Fazzle (Lot 93).
Novara Park , whose rookie stallion Jakkalberry made a big splash with a $440,000 yearling at Karaka in January, will offer 10 weanlings at next month's Sale – nine of them by Jakkalberry. They include a colt out of stakes-winning mare Ististar (Lot 131), and a colt from the famous Soliloquy family that produced recent Australian Derby winner Jon Snow (Lot 214).
The catalogue also features stock from quality New Zealand breeding operations Haunui Farm , Little Avondale Stud , Mapperley Stud , Waikato Stud , Wentwood Grange , Westbury Stud and Windsor Park Stud to name a few.
NZB's National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale will be held at Karaka on 8 and 9 May, with the broodmares selling on the second day from Lot 324.
Request a catalogue or for more news visit www.nzb.co.nz. Buyers are encouraged to register prior to the Sale or appoint an agent online.
