Snapshot of South Island Sale Success

Media Release - Monday March 19

Continuing on from the hype of Karaka 2018, the National Yearling Sales Series heads south with the South Island Sale set to offer a solid second round of pedigree on Friday 20 April.

SignifyIn recent years, the Sale has delivered racetrack stars and has become known as a source of affordable horses with buyers experiencing a fast track to success. In the last five seasons the Sale has produced five individual Group winners and 15 individual stakes winners.

Wentwood Grange's Perfectly Ready gelding Signify (NZ) sold for a very affordable $5,500 to owner/trainer Alex Cowan and put his name in lights when he dominated the field to win the 2017 Group 1 Telegraph Handicap. He finished that season with another win in the Listed Lightning Handicap. Placing twice from his last three starts earlier this year his career earnings total $361,111.

Blood Brotha (NZ) (Danzighill) and current Group winner Shadows Cast(NZ) (Per Incanto) were both offered at the Sale and extend the Group-winning form with victories in the Group 2 Wellington Cup and the Group 2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile respectively. Blood Brotha contested the Wellington Cup with a Group 3 New Zealand Cup already under his belt.

Long Acres Stud's $16,000 graduate Capone(NZ) (Al Akbar) made a swift start winning on debut as a two-year-old and went on to win the Group 3 Taranaki Cup and place in another two stakes races, while Three Valleys $9,000 graduate Natuzzi(NZ) (Coats Choice) bolstered the records with five stakes wins including the Group 3 Concorde Handicap.

At the Sale Signify, Natuzzi and Capone cost only $30,500 combined and collectively they have won $1.13 million in prizemoney - 37 times their combined purchase price.

This season so far the Sale has produced five individual stakes winners:

  • Shadows Cast - Coupland's Bakeries Mile
  • Civil Disobedience(NZ) (Raise the Flag) – Tasmanian Derby
  • Parthesia(NZ) (Raise the Flag) – Bagot Handicap
  • Boots 'n' All(NZ) (Perfectly Ready) – Timaru Stakes
  • Fully Funded(NZ) (Fully Fledged) – Counties Bowl Handicap

With results like that, no doubt buyers will be keen to assess the new crop of yearlings that will be on offer.

The Sale will be held at the Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch with 121 horses catalogued – including 120 yearlings and one unraced gelding. There are a total of 28 vendors offering drafts this year with the progeny from a range of 44 sires.

Willow Glen'sLot 62is out of Group 2-winning mareMegapins(NZ) (Pins) while White Robe Lodge'sLot 64is out of the stakes winnerMiss Millbrook(NZ) (No Excuse Needed). Siblings to Group winners includeSeize the Moment(NZ) (Pins) (Lot 25) and Natuzzi (Lot 66) along with stakes winnersSavour the Moment(NZ) (Savabeel) (Lot 25),Milo(NZ) (Coats Choice) (Lot 63),Quemar(NZ) (Haafiz) (Lot 78),Top Act(NZ) (O'Reilly) (Lot 92),Cherry Creek(Monashee Mountain) (Lot 98), andThe Solitaire(NZ) (O'Reilly) (Lot 108).

You can view the catalogue online or request a copy from Faye Hunt atreception@nzb.co.nz. For travel and accommodation information contact Harry King atHarry.King@nzb.co.nz.

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.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
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.
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.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
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.
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.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
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.