The opening day of New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale got off to a very solid start showing gains across the board. This was highlighted by an aggregate of NZ$2,952,200, up just over NZ$1.1m on last year's opener despite fewer horses going through the ring. A healthy clearance rate of 87% was complimented by an 85% increase in the average to NZ$22,709 with the median also up significantly to NZ$11,500.
As expected, NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook was thrilled with the results commenting, “The product we are producing continues to perform in some of the world's toughest racing jurisdictions and the staggering results we have seen here today are not only good for our vendors but for the industry as a whole.”
As predicted young stock by Cambridge Stud's hot young sire Tavistock (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}) were popular with his colt offered as lot 40 providing the highest price of the day. From the Curraghmore draft, he is out of Sentura (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) herself an own-sister to group winner Clifton Prince (NZ). The attractive bay was purchased by Mark and Shelley Treweek's Lyndhurst Farm.
“He has a great walk and a great way about him and being by Tavistock is obviously a big attraction,” said Mark Treweek. “He's got a lovely pedigree and is out of a Volksraad mare which is a proven cross already with Tavistock. Nine times out of 10 Curraghmore sell the best horses out of the weanling sale and we picked him as the nicest type in the sale. He ticked a lot of boxes for us and we had to have him.”
Tavistock also supplied the second highest weanling of the day, lot 78 a colt offered by Brighthill Farm and knocked down to Phill Cataldo Bloodstock for NZ$155,000.
Leading vendor of the day by average and aggregate was Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore, who was topping both categories for the 10th time.
“We brought a quality draft to this sale again and expected our horses to sell well,” explained Cunningham. “The interest we'd had leading into the sale was good and that's translated into results today that we're delighted with.”
Rider Horse NZ were the most active of the day's buyers, securing 20 lots for total receipts of NZ$498,000 and striking early to secure lot 9. Offered by Dan Myers' draft, the I Am Invincible (Aus) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) filly is the first foal from the stakes placed mare Pipette (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and fetched NZ$130,000. Rider Horse invested the same sum for lot 109 a colt by freshman sire So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) consigned by Curraghmore.
Selling continues on Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time, with more weanlings slated to go under the hammer followed by yearlings, 2-year-olds, unraced stock and racehorses. The full broodmare offering and stallion shares will then conclude the sale on Wednesday.
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