Nothing But 'Net' at Karaka

It took a while, but for the fourth consecutive year, the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka was topped by a youngster by Coolmore's sensational Fastnet Rock (Aus). At about the midway point of Tuesday's second and final session, a Waikato Stud-consigned bay colt (lot 340), produced by a full-sister to the recently deceased dual-hemisphere stallion High Chaparral (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), took over as the sales-topper when DGR Thoroughbred Services' Duncan Ramage proved successful on a single bid of NZ$600,000. As the sale neared its conclusion, an October-foaled filly (lot 429) continued a wildly successful streak for her breeder SF Bloodstock when selling to David Ellis's Te Akau Racing for NZ$800,000. SF Bloodstock also supplied the A$1.05 million daughter of Fastnet Rock–Response (Aus) (Charge Forward {Aus}), who topped the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this month. 

From a catalogue that was a bit more than 5% leaner versus 2014, turnover was down by 4.6%, but the aveage of NZ$150,881 advanced by 4.4%, while the median price of NZ$120,000 bettered last year's figure by 9.1%. 

“It was pleasing to see the Premier Sale finish strongly,” commented NZB Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela. “As is often the case, the second day was overall a stronger day of selling, and to post figures ahead of last year's Sale is a very pleasing result. [Monday] was a very special day with Sir Patrick leading through the last yearling to be sold at auction by the great Zabeel, which has no doubt made this year's sale more memorable. It was great to see David Ellis again to the fore, together with a notable increase in strength from the Australian bench, with its overall spend increasing from last year. It is testament to the quality of horses produced in New Zealand that we see buyers coming back to Karaka to purchase them and we wish them all the very best of success with their purchases.” 

'Fast' and Furious… 
From 13 youngsters through the ring, Fastnet Rock (Aus) was the Premier Sale's leading sire by average at NZ$331,538, led by the eventual sales-topping daughter of Il Quello Veloce (NZ) (Captain Rio {GB}). Prepared by Mark and Shelley Treweek's Lyndhurst Stud, the Australian-bred filly is out of the champion 2-year-old in New Zealand in 2007-2008, a full-sister to the Listed winning Donna Cattiva (NZ) and a 3/4-sister in blood to the top sprinter Terravista (Aus) (Captain Rio {GB}), winner of the G1 Darley Classic at Flemington last November. It was the second time in recent memory that an offering from the small Cambridge operation topped the Karaka sale after offering an NZ$800,000 son of Encosta de Lago (Aus) back in 2009. 

“We're really proud of it because we're a small set-up,” Lyndhurst's Mark Treweek, who was offering the filly on behalf of Henry Field's Newgate Stud, told Australian Associated Press. “We put a lot of work in and it's really good to get the results for the clients when they trust us with their horses that can be worth so much money.” 

Te Akau Racing's David Ellis outlasted Australian trainer David Hayes to put a filly at the top of the sale for the first time in 10 years. Ellis, who at one time consigned a sales-topper at Karaka, was leading buyer for the 10th consecutive year, signing for 32 horses and gross receipts of over NZ$3.5 million. 

“She is a gorgeous filly, the best I've seen at this Sale in 10 years,” Ellis commented. “She was bought for a syndicate I put together and we plan to aim her at the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, with the [G1] 1000 Guineas in mind. I thought it was a strong sale with sound quality, and the good ones sold well. I am going to be out at the Select Sale tomorrow to continuing purchasing for Te Akau Racing.” 

Karaka Highlights 'Chaparral' Legacy… 
The late High Chaparral (Ire) had a hand in three of the day's top five highest-priced horses. In the name of his DGR Thoroughbred Services, Duncan Ramage took home the dearest of the trio with his single NZ$600,000 for lot 340. Also by Fastnet Rock, the Australian-bred bay is out of Dance on By (Ire), herself a full-sister to the G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby hero, a two-time winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and dual Eclipse Award recipient in the U.S. The Aug. 10 foal was consigned by Waikato Stud on behalf of his breeder B. J. & J. Lindsay. 

“It's not our policy to buy the top priced horses that are going through the sale but I think you'll pay more for the same horse at Easter,” admitted Ramage. “Raised by a farm like Waikato Stud that produces Group 1 winner after Group 1 winner, out of a Sadler's Wells mare, on a cross that produces 27% stakes winners and the mother happens to be a full-sister to a champion in High Chaparral. By and large we've had to pay a bit but they haven't been overpriced. We're going to stay on for the Select Sale, it's been a few years since we have.” 

The Chittick Family's Waikato Stud successfully defended its leading vendor title, with 40 horses sold for NZ$6,860,000. 
Ramage accounted for 11 purchased on behalf of Australian interests for gross receipts of NZ$2.26 million. Five of those were bought in partnership with trainers Bart and James Cummings. Overall, the total Australian spend was better than NZ$20 million (45.4% of the total turnover) for 127 horses (42.6%), an increase of 8% over last year. 

High Chaparral himself was responsible for the third-loftiest price of the session when Paul Moroney Bloodstock went to NZ$500,000 for lot 251 early on. Consigned by Westbury Stud, the elegant bay was produced by a half-sister to the dam of the outstanding Atlantic Jewel (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and her Group 1-winning 3/4-sister Commanding Jewel (Aus) (Commands {Aus}). Moroney signed the ticket, his most expensive of 10 purchases, on behalf of Sir Owen Glenn. 
Given the results of the Gold Coast sale and now the Karaka sale, So You Think (NZ) will have every chance to emulate his sire in terms of importance. After averaging A$223,529 for 17 yearlings sold at Magic Millions a few weeks ago, the Coolmore sire was represented by five youngsters to sell over the last two days for an average of NZ$190,000, good for third behind Fastnet Rock and Redoute's Choice (Aus), the latter of whom had just three yearlings sell. 

Lot 287 was the dearest of the five to sell by So You Think, the 2009 G1 Cox Plate hero who won no fewer than five Group 1s in England and Ireland when under the care of Aidan O'Brien in 2011 and 2012. Consigned by Windsor Park Stud, the Oct. 30 foal, a half-brother to 2014 G1 Victoria Derby hero Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), fetched a final bid of NZ$420,000 from Melbourne bloodstock agent Cameron Cooke for South Australian businessman Luke Koumi, owner of the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner Deiheros (Aus) (Bob Hoffa {Aus}). 

The national yearling sales continue today with the Select Sale, source of seven Group 1 winners last season, beginning at 11 a.m. For full results and catalogs, visit www.nzb.co.nz.