Ellis Retains Karaka Buyers Crown

Media Release - Tuesday January 28

Te Akau principal David Ellis finished the Book 1 session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale in strong fashion on Tuesday, going to $500,000 to secure lot 626, the Savabeel colt out of Group Two winner Gold Rocks.

$500,000 Savabeel colt from Gold Rocks“I bought him for a brand new client of Te Akau’s who wanted a really nice colt,” he said.

“We trained a full-sister to the colt that we won the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m) with, Gold Fever.

“She was a real two-year-old and I thought this colt was a very precocious colt from a precocious family and he will race in the Tangerine.

“It is a nick with Savabeel that has been really successful.”

Buoyed by Te Akau’s success at Ellerslie on Saturday night - winning a fourth successive Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) with Cool Aza Beel, and Probabeel becoming the first horse to win the Karaka Million double when taking out the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) – Ellis was once again very active at Karaka.

He purchased 28 lots for a total spend of $6.5 million to retain his leading buyer crown at Karaka for a record 15th successive year.

“We bought yearlings from $15,000 through to $875,000, so we have horses at all price levels for all of our owners,” Ellis said.

David Ellis is the king of Karaka - image Trish Dunnell“The horses we are trying to buy is a horse who can race at two. We like to see them out in the autumn, but the one proviso that we do have is they have to be able to train on at three, four, and five.

“Remarkably all our Karaka Million horses all get better as they get older and last year Melody Belle, for example, won more Group One races than any other horse in the sale.”

Ellis was pleased to see a strong sale with plenty of yearlings on offer by first season sires.

“I think it has been a very good sale,” he said. “There has been a lot of first season sires.

“We are desperate for new sires in New Zealand, so I am thrilled that the studs are giving it their best crack and I thought the standard this year was very high and the sales series has been a huge success.

“I take my hat off to New Zealand Bloodstock, it is a company New Zealand should be very proud of.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
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!
Coolmore Announce Euro 2025 Fees
Coolmore have announced fees for their 20 strong European sire roster with three new additions City of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact)and Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and a significant increase for Wootton Bassett, who is currently in Australia.
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.
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
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.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
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.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.