NZB'sSouth Island Sale is only three weeks away and our vendors
are adding the final touches to their drafts which have been years in the
making.
These well-prepared thoroughbreds are ready to be presented to
prospective buyers and join the next generation of winning graduates.
The list of similarities between high-flying South Island Sale graduates Parthesia (NZ) (Raise the Flag) and Civil Disobedience (NZ) (Raise the Flag) are
considerable, but if we look at where it all started we can trace them back to
perennial southern vendor White Robe Lodge.
The long-standing nursery has claimed the title of leading vendor by aggregate
four of the last five years at the South Island Sale and John Foote and Darren
Weir are familiar faces to the stud. Purchasing in partnership, they secured
Parthesia and Civil Disobedience with Weir guiding them to winning form at
stakes level in Australia.
This year White Robe Lodge's first season sire Ghibellines and current-season
Group producer Gallant Guru will be in the light making up all but one of their
15-lot draft.
While Mansfield Farm's draft size is often modest, they certainly
know how to produce thoroughbreds that can succeed on the racetrack. The
Canterbury-based operation have sold two stakes winners in the last five
seasons with Eclair Samba (NZ) (Ekraar) paving the way for
current winner Fully
Funded (NZ) (Fully Fledged). Leading the vendors by average last year,
their next generation draft will offer three colts.
The famous Dennis brothers legacy continues with Ravelston Stud topping the Sale last year with their
$87,000 Rock 'n' Pop filly (Lot 100) from the iconic "The" family. Robert, the
next generation of the Dennis family, made his first appearance at the helm and
will again commit another quality selection of five yearlings including four
from the "The" family.
"Like all well-known families its high class performers that put them on the
map," commented Robert.
"The "The" family all stem from one foundation mare and it continues to produce
not only winners but Group and Listed performers season after season.
"Recent seasons have seen The Diamond One, The Solitaire, The Bold One, and The
Bishop perform at black type level and with young horses coming through it
doesn't look likely to slow down anytime soon.
"As far as expectations go this year I'm hopeful the quality horses we, and
other vendors, have entered will attract a good number of buyers to the Sale.
We decided last year we would support this Sale with quality and I feel we have
kicked it up another notch."
Often featuring as vendors among the top lots of the Sale, Three Valleys and Pear Tree Farm prepare their yearlings exclusively for the
South Island Sale and their 2018 drafts are shaping up with Three Valleys
offering 12 yearlings, including eight by southern sires, and Pear Tree Farm
offering seven yearlings.
Amongst the familiar names will also be consignors who made their debut
appearances at Karaka 2018. Experienced preparers Olly and Annabel Wigley
offered their two Zacinto yearling colts earlier in the year under their new
banner Beaufort Downs and both subsequently sold at an average of
$77,500. Anticipating to achieve similar results, the Canterbury-based
operation will offer two yearlings along with the one catalogued unraced horse,
The Traveller (Brilliance) (Lot 121).
"We had a lot of feedback from buyers at Karaka about how well the horses
looked – so all the hard work paid off," commented Annabel.
"It is a massive undertaking to get the horses from Canterbury all the way up
to Auckland, so the South Island Sale will be a lot easier for us
logistically."
The father-daughter duo of Trinity and Jean-Pierre St Guillaume put a breeding
program in place and made a plan to take a small draft to Karaka each year.
This year their Highfield Grange banner made its first appearance with
three yearlings selling in the ring. Off the back of good results at their
first Sale they will be taking three yearlings to their local South Island
Sale.
A total of 28 vendors will be offering their drafts for Sale at the Canterbury
Agricultural Park in Christchurch on Friday 20 April. Selling commences at 11am
with 121 lots catalogued including the progeny of 44 sires. There are siblings
to eight stakes performers while two yearlings are out of stakes-winning dams.
You can view the catalogue online or request a copy from Faye Hunt
at reception@nzb.co.nz.
For travel and accommodation information contact Harry King at Harry.King@nzb.co.nz.