Group One stars Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) and Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) have vividly illustrated the calibre of weanlings that can be found at Karaka, and the catalogue for New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2021 National Weanling Sale contains plenty of well-credentialled candidates to follow in those footsteps.
The catalogue’s 114 pedigrees feature Group One form as recently as last weekend. Haunui Farm will offer Lot 61, a close relative to their quality staying mare Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park).
Previously a placegetter in the New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and Tancred Stakes (2400m), Rondinella added an outstanding second placing in the A$2m Sydney Cup (3200m) on the second day of The Championships at Randwick on April 17.
Rondinella is out of prolific broodmare Valpolicella (NZ) (Red Ransom), who is also the dam of stakes winners Vavasour (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), Vilanova (NZ) (Commands) and Celebrity Dream (NZ) (Thorn Park). Herself a winner at Group Three and Listed level, Valpolicella is a half-sister to the dam of the filly going through the ring as Lot 61.
Lot 61 is one of nine weanlings in the catalogue by Cambridge Stud’s young shuttle stallion sensation Almanzor, who has quickly made a massive impression in this part of the world. His books of mares have been fully subscribed, and he averaged $193,571 with his first crop of yearlings at Karaka 2021 earlier this year.
The other Almanzor progeny at the National Weanling Sale include:
- Lot 14, a filly consigned by Curraghmore, is out of the Listed-placed Ruthless Lady (NZ) (Keeper), whose dam Lady Dehere (NZ) (Dehere) won at Group Two level and is the dam of two stakes winners. Lady Dehere is also a half-sister to multiple Group One winner Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock) and stakes winner and sire Oratorio (Stravinsky).
- Lot 64, a colt offered by Brighthill Farm, is out of a stakes-placed half-sister to Precedence (NZ) (Zabeel), who won six major black-type staying races in Australia.
- Lot 78, is a colt whose dam Girl of My Dreams (NZ) (Gold Centre) won two Group Three races and placed in the Group One New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and Diamond Stakes (1200m). This colt is offered by Haunui Farm
- Also consigned by Haunui Farm, Lot 91 is a filly from the family of Australian Group One winners Serenade Rose (Stravinsky) and Trekking (Street Cry), along with rising star staying mare Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock).
The National Weanling Sale also provides an early opportunity to access the final crop of Waikato Stud stallion Sacred Falls (NZ), whose progeny have risen to a new level since his untimely death. He is the sire of this season’s standout Kiwi three-year-old Aegon (NZ), winner of the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) and Group Two Hobartville Stakes (1400m).
Sacred Falls’ seven other stakes performers include Group Three winners Zee Falls (NZ) and All Saints Eve (NZ), plus Icebath (NZ), who has produced huge performances as runner-up in photo finishes to this season’s Group One Doncaster Mile (1600m) and A$7.5m Golden Eagle (1500m) in Sydney. Impecunious (NZ) also placed at Group One level in last month’s Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m).
Lot 4 in the National Weanling Sale catalogue is a Sacred Falls colt offered by Curraghmore out of Pink Bubbles (NZ) (Pins), whose dam Madame Echezeaux (NZ) (Montjeu) is a half-sister to multiple Group One winner and star sire Darci Brahma (NZ), along with four-time stakes winner and successful sire Burgundy (NZ).
Lot 55 is a colt out of Best Command (Court Command) offered by Haunui Farm – a stakes-placed half-sister to the Group One winner First Seal (Fastnet Rock) – while Lot 23 is closely related to the Irish champion Siskin (First Defence) and American five-time Grade One winner Close Hatches (First Defence). Close Hatches is also the dam of Kentucky Derby (2000m) placegetter Tacitus (Tapit), and this quality family is also represented by an Embellish (NZ) filly going through the ring as Lot 6 consigned by Leanach Lodge.
Other highlight lots in the National Weanling Sale catalogue include:
- Lot 3, a Shooting to Win filly who is out of a half-sister to one of New Zealand’s top two-year-olds of the 2018-19 season, Group Three winner Whiskey Neat (Denman) offered by Cambridge Stud.
- Brighthill Farm offers Lot 8, a colt out of an unraced half-sister to New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Dijon Bleu (NZ) (Burgundy) and stakes placegetters Passione (NZ) (Proisir) and Prosecco (Stravinsky).
- Lot 9 is a colt by quality Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park (NZ) out of Promise to Pay (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), from the family of Group One-winning champion mares Tracy’s Element (Last Tycoon) and her daughter Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom), plus Australian Guineas (1600m) winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) and successful sire Danasinga. This colt is consigned by Ralph Thoroughbreds.
- Haunui Farm offers a filly from the final New Zealand crop of high-class shuttle stallion Iffraaj, going through the ring as Lot 11. This filly is out of an unraced Rock of Gibraltar mare who is a half-sister to four stakes winners including the Group One heroine Calveen (NZ) (Canny Lad).
- Another of Haunui’s offerings, Lot 19, is a colt by promising shuttle sire Belardo from the family of Group One winners Headturner (Anabaa), Anacheeva (Anabaa) and O’Marilyn (O’Reilly). O’Marilyn is also the dam of this season’s Group Two Skyline Stakes (1200m) winner O’President (Fastnet Rock).
- Lot 26 is a colt by Proisir out of Sunrise Ruby (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), a placed daughter of the Group One winner A Touch of Ruby (NZ) (Pins). A Touch of Ruby is also half-sister to fellow Group One winner Loire (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) also offered by Haunui Farm.
- Lot 30, an Exosphere filly from the black-type-laden family of Doncaster Mile (1600m) hero Brutal (NZ) (O’Reilly) consigned by Hallmark Stud.
- Lot 37, is a Preferment filly out of a half-sister to the Group One winner and black-type producer Insouciant (NZ) (Keeper) offered y Westend Partnership.
- Curraghmore offers Lot 52, from the first crop of Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Ace High. This filly is out of the stakes-placed Bankside Belle (NZ) (Volksraad), who is the dam of Group One performer Belle du Nord (NZ) (Reliable Man) and stakes-placed What Choux Want (NZ) (Jimmy Choux). Another Ace High filly, Lot 84, is out of a sister to Group One performers Chenille (NZ) (Pentire) and Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel) consigned by Rich Hill Stud.
- Lot 66, a colt by first season sire Eminent. Offered by Curraghmore, the colt is a grandson of champion mare Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm).
- Lot 113, is a colt by Embellish out of Next (In the Wings) a half-brother to this season’s impressive $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) placegetter Montre Moi (NZ) (Showcasing).
The National Weanling Sale will take place at Karaka on Friday 14 May, with selling commencing at 11am. All supplementary lots will be sold following the last lot, with supplementary entries closing on Friday 7 May.
NZB and New Zealand-based agents will be available to inspect all catalogued weanlings on behalf of prospective buyers, with online bidding services also on offer for international and local buyers who are unable to physically attend the Sale. View the full on-farm parade schedule here.
Weanlings offered in the Sale will be eligible to enter in the lucrative Karaka Million Series featuring two $1 million races available for graduates as two and three-year-olds, plus the $100,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup for the duration of their career.
View the full catalogue online here.
