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...
One to Watch – Canberra
At the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast US investors Richard and Tammy Rigney of Rigney Racing purchased two yearling fillies by I Am Invincible for $2million and $1.2million and got a result with one of them in Canberra on Sunday.
Sires With Winners - Sunday November 24
Here is the full list of 72 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Prima Park Perfect Clearance at Ready to Run
Prima Park has accrued an enviable record with their New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale graduates, and farm principal Kelly Van Dyk is hoping they can add another to that list from their 2024 draft.
Aussie Mare Youngstar Produces Exciting Japanese G3 Winner
Australian Group I winning half-sisters Youngstar and Funstar are both at stud in Japan and the former has a very smart two year-old colt in Eri King, who made it three wins from three starts when taking out the Group III Radio Nikkei Hai Kyoto Nissai Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
Yulong Announce Sad Passing of G1 Winning Mare
Yulong released a video Tweet last week recapping their sensational spring carnival results and also revealing the passing of their dual Group I winning Frankel mare Hungry Heart.
Elite 1088- Karaka 2025 Unveiled
Hot on the heels of a record-breaking Ready to Run Sale, the cream of New Zealand’s yearling crop has been revealed for Karaka 2025.
G1 Pedigree Watch - Plus Up and Comers
The spring carnival might be over, but the G1 action is now in Perth and a Queenslander took the top prize and we are also looking at a few other stakes-winners that hold the promise of more to come.
Sires With Winners - Saturday November 23
Here is the full list of 117 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday November 22
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Cosmic Vega Breaks Through in Kilmore Cup
A rapidly deteriorating track at Kilmore proved the winning formula for the Irish import Cosmic Vega (IRE) and visiting English rider Saffie Osborne to open their Australian accounts in Sunday’s $200,000 Listed Bet365 Kilmore Cup (1600m).