Waikato Stud's Book 1 Draft Makes Outstanding Reading

Media Release - Sunday January 28
Pride, passion and excitement are exuding from the Waikato Stud barn at Karaka this week ahead of New Zealand Bloodstock's revamped National Yearling Sales Series which commences on Sunday evening.

An army of 50 staff from Waikato stud are on-site at Karaka this week parading the stud's 80-strong Book 1 draft for potential buyers and Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick is excited about the sale's new structure. Click here to see the video.

"I'm looking forward to the new concept – it should work well," he said. "The longer we can keep the Australians, and in fact all international buyers here and being able to put more horses in front of them should be a huge benefit to everyone.

"I stand to be corrected, but it's probably the biggest draft any farm has in a single sale in the southern hemisphere this summer."

Sacred FallsLeading the stud's draft will be progeny of all-conquering sire Savabeel, who will be represented by 35 yearlings. He will get solid backing from fellow Waikato Stud sires Ocean Park, Pins, Rock 'n' Pop and the much awaited first-season debutant Sacred Falls.

Chittick is especially excited to present the first yearlings by the son of O'Reilly.

"There's no doubt there's added excitement around Sacred Falls," he said. "We bred him, sold him as a yearling and then bought back into him at the end of his racing career.

"It's been a real homecoming with him returning to the farm and going into O'Reilly's box and we couldn't be happier with the horses he is leaving.

"They are exactly what he was as a yearling, great movers with beautiful walks and good temperaments – they are everything we could ever hope for as breeders.

Mark Chittick"We took a couple to the recent Magic Millions sale to give buyers a taste of what he had to offer and the feedback was massive."

Chittick is buoyed by the strong results at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale as well as the continued success of New Zealand-breds on the track.

"This is a massive part of our year and all the signs are there," he said. "Magic Millions was huge, more importantly New Zealand horses have had another fantastic year and we've got genuine depth in our stallion ranks."

Next week is the culmination of several years of work for the farm and Mark is proud of the quality of yearlings that the farm will put through the sales ring.

"It's hard to believe that it was three years ago that we sat down and planned the matings for these youngsters and to see each individual develop into an outstanding and promising athlete is so rewarding for us," Mark said.

"Feeling a real sense of pride is inevitable as each and every one of these home-breds carries the Waikato Stud brand and stems from family lines that we here at Waikato Stud are so very proud of."

Waikato Stud Book 1 Highlights

Among Waikato Stud's consignment is a colt, Lot 265, who is a half-brother to the four-time Group One winner Sacred Falls.

A son of Sacred Falls and Group Two winner Do Ra Mi, Lot 167 is a three- quarter brother to promising stakes placed galloper Hanger and is great representation of the quality Sacred Falls is stamping his stock with.

Lot 263, is out of the Group One Makfi Challenge Stakes winner I Do and is sure to have an army if admirers and Lot 237 (Savabeel – Gracie Rose colt) is from the same family.

A son of Savabeel, Lot 336, and the dual Group One winner Legs is yet another home- bred blueblood. The value of Lot 190 can significantly be boosted if his sister Savvy Coup wins Saturday's $1 million Karaka 3 year old Classic.
Lot 108 Savabeel colt from Chilled Out
Lot 163 will be in demand as a brother to the Group One Spring Classic winner Costume and Lot 108 is a colt closely related to the multiple Group winner Coldplay.

Among the fillies, Lot 487 is a daughter of Savabeel out of a sister to the three-time Group One winner Daffodil and another potential headline act is Lot 231 who is out of the stakes-winning Pins mare Glad with the unbeaten champion Black Caviar featuring on her pedigree page.

Lot 285 is a half-sister by Savabeel to the Group One Queensland Oaks winner Miss Keepsake and Lot 492 is a daughter of Ocean Park and a full sister to promising galloper Pretty To Sea and a half-sister to Stakes winner Bonny O'Reilly. Her well-related dam Pretty is a half-sister to dual Group One winners Glamour Puss and Vision and Power.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Melbourne Cup Tips – Tara Talks Racing
Tara Talks Racing is now online having had a Sunday arvo drink or two as we go through the Cup horses, so what do Clocker and I like for this year’s Melbourne Cup?
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
2YOs at Flemington - G3 Maribyrnong Plate Sale Mail
Juvenile racing will kick off Melbourne Cup day on Tuesday with an early start at 10.45am for the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) with nine colts and four fillies engaged.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.