From Hong Kong’s biggest sprints and miles to a Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Derby victories in five different countries, New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale has a roll of honour unlike any other sale of its kind.
- Cementing itself as the world’s number-one sale of two-year-olds, NZB’s Ready to Run Sale graduates have claimed 20 Group Ones and 133 stakes wins in the last six seasons alone.
- In the same time period, both Australian two-year-old sales have produced a combined five Group One wins and 72 stakes victories. In the Northern Hemisphere, the graduates of all Breeze Up sales have won a total of 11 Group One wins.
- Outperforming all others, graduates of the last six editions of NZB’s Ready to Run Sale have earned on average an astounding 59% more prizemoney than both Australian two-year-old sales graduates combined.
- The Ready to Run Sale also has the highest ratio of winners to runners (62%) of any two-year-old sale in Australasia throughout the past six years.
Hong Kong Heroics
Graduates of NZB’s Ready to Run Sale have won 25% of all Group One races in Hong Kong over the last two seasons.
The headline act in Hong Kong has been the megastar Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro), who was bought for $300,000 by trainer Francis Lui from Riversley Park’s draft at the 2017 Ready to Run Sale.
Golden Sixty has had 18 starts for a staggering 17 wins, amassing HK$77.9 million in stakes – the equivalent of almost NZ$14 million, which is more than 46 times his purchase price at Karaka.
Only the second horse in history to sweep Hong Kong’s Four-Year-Old Series of the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) and Hong Kong Derby (2000m), Golden Sixty has subsequently added four Group One triumphs to his remarkable CV.
He won all of Hong Kong’s Group One races over 1600m last season – the Hong Kong Mile (1600m), Stewards’ Cup (1600m) and Champions Mile (1600m) – and also added the Hong Kong Gold Cup over 2000m.
Golden Sixty was last season’s Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Champion Middle-Distance Horse, Champion Miler and Most Popular Horse of the Year.
Another Ready to Run Sale star in Hong Kong in recent years has been Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook) – a $200,000 purchase from Prima Park’s draft in 2015.
From 25 starts, Beat The Clock has won 10 races and earned over HK$52.8 million in stakes. That’s the equivalent of more than NZ$9 million, which is 45 times his purchase price.
Beat The Clock has been an elite sprint performer in Hong Kong, winning the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m), Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) and back-to-back editions of the Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m). He has also collected an additional four minor placings in Sha Tin’s star-studded Group One sprint features.
Voyage Warrior (Declaration Of War) cost $280,000 at the 2017 Ready to Run Sale and has earned just under HK$10 million, which is over six times his purchase price. He won the Group Two Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin in 2020.
Other notable performers in Hong Kong who have been bought out of the Ready to Run Sale include the Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2400m) winner Ho Ho Khan (NZ) (Makfi) and Group Three Bauhinia Sprint Trophy (1000m) star Premiere (NZ) (Dylan Thomas), who were passed in at the Ready to Run Sale in 2016 and 2015 respectively.
Trans-Tasman Triumphs
Nine horses purchased from the Ready to Run Sale since 2013 have risen to Group One stardom in New Zealand and/or Australia.
Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) was a $220,000 purchase by the China Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Group at the 2013 Ready to Run Sale. He won the New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Australian Derby (2400m) in the first few months of 2015 – the first horse to win both of those famous classics in more than 30 years. He later added the Group One Caulfield Cup (2400m) to his collection, becoming the first horse in history to win all three showpiece races.
Mongolian Khan earned more than $4 million in stakes, was a two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year, and now stands at Windsor Park Stud.
His Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained stablemate and now fellow Windsor Park Stud stallion Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj) also came out of the 2013 Ready to Run Sale, where he was bought by Todd Hartley for $52,500.
Turn Me Loose won seven of his 20 starts and earned over $1.5 million, headed by superb Group One wins in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Melbourne’s Emirates Stakes (1600m) and Futurity Stakes (1400m).
Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj) was selected by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale and cost just $42,500. His spectacular racing career delivered unforgettable thrills for his big syndicate of owners, and he became a fan favourite on both sides of the Tasman with sparkling successes in the Group One New Zealand Derby, Rosehill Guineas (2000m) and Windsor Park Plate (1600m).
New Zealand Derby-winning Ready to Run graduates Gingernuts and Mongolian Khan were later followed in 2018 by Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes), who became the third graduate in less than five years to capture the Derby at Ellerslie. He cost just $70,000 at the 2016 Ready to Run Sale.
That 2016 Ready to Run Sale also unearthed Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), who shone brightly on both sides of the Tasman in a brief but unforgettable 14-start, seven-win career. The chestnut was bought by David Ellis for $230,000, and he earned more than $1.5 million through victories in the Group One Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m), Group One Waikato Sprint (1400m) and Group Two Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m). The sadly ill-fated gelding also placed in another three Group One races including the Cox Plate (2040m).
Other New Zealand Group One winners to come out of the Ready to Run Sale in recent seasons include The Mitigator (Master Of Design), Hall Of Fame (NZ) (Savabeel), Dukedom (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) and Gaultier (NZ) (Rios), while quality stayer Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) has performed in elite company in Australia.
Success in Singapore and Macau
The Ready to Run Sale has also been a highly successful source of Singapore talent, headed by the likes of Well Done (NZ) (Falkirk), Debt Collector (NZ) (Thorn Park), Countofmontecristo (NZ) (Echoes Of Heaven), Be Bee (NZ) (Showcasing), Mr Clint (NZ) (Power) and Excelling (Manhattan Rain).
Well Done was a $90,000 purchase from the 2013 Ready to Run Sale and scored an outstanding victory in the 2016 Singapore Derby (2000m). He earned in excess of S$1 million in stakes, which is more than 10 times his purchase price.
Debt Collector was offered by Prima Park at the 2014 Ready to Run Sale, where he was bought for $120,000 by trainer Cliff Brown. He went on to win 12 races in Singapore and more than S$3.4 million, including victories in the Singapore Guineas (1600m), Kranji Mile (1600m), Queen Elizabeth Cup (1800m), Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m), Chairman’s Trophy (1600m), Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m) and two editions of the Raffles Cup (1800m).
Countofmontecristo was a $57,500 purchase at the 2015 Ready to Run Sale. He has won 10 races and more than S$2 million, headed by the Singapore 3YO Sprint (1200m), 3YO Classic (1400m), Jumbo Jet Trophy (1400m) and Chairman’s Trophy (1600m).
Be Bee, bought for $250,000 by Shane Baertschiger from the 2016 Ready to Run Sale, was Champion Two-Year-Old in Singapore in 2017. He earned just under S$700,000 through his six victories, including the Golden Horseshoe (1200m) and Singapore 3YO Sprint (1200m).
The late Laurie Laxon bought Mr Clint for $95,000 at the 2016 Ready to Run Sale, and the gelding went on to be Champion Three-Year-Old and Champion Stayer in Singapore. He won five races and more than S$1.8 million, including victories in the Singapore Guineas (1600m) and Singapore Gold Cup (2000m).
The $50,000 purchase Excelling won more than $300,000, headed by the Merlion Trophy (1200m).
Meanwhile in Macau, the $580,000 Ready to Run Sale purchase Sacred Capital (NZ) (O’Reilly) has been an outstanding headline act. He won the 2019 Macau Derby (1800m) and has earned the equivalent of almost NZ$1 million through his 10 victories to date.
Up-and-Comers
Several graduates of more recent Ready to Run Sales are also showing highly promising signs for ongoing success into the future.
Among the most exciting is Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), who was passed in when offered by Phoenix Park at the 2019 Ready to Run Sale. Now trained by Ben and JD Hayes at the respected Lindsay Park operation in Australia, the gelding has won all of his last six starts including the A$200,000 Listed Seymour Cup (1600m). He is among the favourites for this Saturday’s A$2m Group One Kennedy Cantala (1600m) at Flemington.
Other notables include graduates of last year’s Sale, the $50,000 purchase Commander Harry (NZ) (Reliable Man) and $140,000 buy Drum Major (NZ) (Epaulette), who have both placed at Group Two level as three-year-olds this spring. Commander Harry was just edged out in a tight photo finish to Saturday’s A$300,000 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m), while Drum Major finished a creditable third in the $110,000 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at the beginning of October.
Brando (NZ) (Savabeel) was a $500,000 purchase from the 2019 Ready to Run Sale. He showed bright potential last season with a victory in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) and a second placing in the Group One Levin Classic (1600m), and he is considered a key contender for next month’s Group Two Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m).
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The 2021 Ready to Run Sale will take place virtually and is set to be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on 17 and 18 November, commencing at 1PM (NZT) each day.
For the second year, buyers will be able to participate via NZB’s user-friendly online bidding platform with a real-time stream of the auctioneer. Ensure you are registered to bid as soon as possible via the platform here.
NZB urges buyers to do their due diligence well before the Sale commences next month, as getting a horse inspected or vetted on the days of selling won’t be possible due to the horses being spread out across the country.
NZB agents, members of the New Zealand Bloodstock Agents Federation (BAFNZ) and other authorised personnel will be inspecting all two-year-olds entered in the Ready to Run Sale.
View the 2021 Ready to Run Sale Parade Schedule here.
View NZB’s Ready to Run Sale consignor contact details here.
