Fast Start To Ready To Run Sale

FAST START TO READY TO RUN SALE 
New Zealand Bloodstock’s two-day Ready to Run Sale got off to a promising start yesterday, with 116 horses changing hands for NZ$8,658,000, a figure that was down only 1.5% despite 10% fewer horses catalogued. Demand was highlighted by a buyback rate that dropped 11 points to 32%, and while the average was down 9% to NZ$74,638, the median climbed by the same margin to NZ$60,000. Highlighting the strength of international trade, 17 of the top 20 lots were purchased by international buyers, with a total of 94 horses heading offshore. 

The top price of NZ$320,000, paid by Hong Kong-based buyer William Tai for a colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus), matched last year’s session-topping transaction. Lot 178 was consigned by James Chapman’s Jamieson Park, and he worked in :10.65 (video). The leggy bay is out of the stakes-placed Sweet Emotion (Ire) (Bering {GB}), a half-sister to Hoity Toity (GB), the dam of dual European Group 1-winning filly Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and stakes winner Count of Limonade (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade (Ire). Sweet Emotion is also a stakes producer, being responsible for the Newbury stakes winner and G1 Racing Post Trophy second Winged Cupid (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}). 

“We have been coming to the Ready to Run Sale for a number of years now and have purchased many good horses from the sale,” commented Tai. “We purchased Champion Griffin All You Wish three years ago at this sale. We have had some luck with Fastnet Rock in Hong Kong so that helped draw us to him and I think this horse will go very well up there too.” 

Tai added, “I just liked the horse, he breezed very well. He will go to Hong Kong next July and I hope he can be the next All You Wish.” 

The second-highest price of the day was NZ$300,000, paid by Rogerson Bloodstock for lot 100, a Savabeel (Aus) colt out of the South African mare Pin Oak (SAf) (Fort Wood), a half-sister to Slumdogmillionaire (SAf) (Strike Smartly), a dual Group 1 winner in that country. He breezed in :10.41 (video). Savabeel was also represented by lot 135, a colt picked up by Mr DC Ellis and Mr J Richards for NZ$250,000. 

Lot 149, a colt by the recently deceased Darley Australia sire Commands (Aus), is bound for Singapore after being picked up by trainer Michael Clements after breezing in :10.45 (video). From Prima Park, the September foal is out of She’s Perfect (Aus) (Quest For Fame {GB}), a half-sister to stakes winner My Middi (Aus) (Belong To Me). 

The first half-hour of the sale saw two horses reach NZ$200,000. The first was lot 5, a Denman (Aus) colt out of Kate of Clonmel (Aus) (Bianconi), a half-sister to Group 2 winner and Group 1 producer Khaptivaan (Aus) (Adraan {Fr}). The bay, who breezed in :10.65 (video), was consigned by Jamieson Park and is bound for Hong Kong after being purchased by Francis Lui. Lot 8, a colt by Tavistock (NZ) who breezed in :10.61 (video), will also head to Hong Kong after being purchased by Chris McAnulty from the Kiltannon Stables draft. Out of the Keeper (Aus) mare Keep Alight (Aus), the colt is a full-brother to the stakes-placed Midnitemagicman (NZ). 

A pair of Darley shuttle sires also features prominently on the leaderboard. Teofilo (Ire) is the sire of lot 166, a three-quarter brother to the stakes-placed Devise (Aus) (Galileo {Ire}), who was picked up by Mr. PL Ho for NZ$230,000. He also went to NZ$210,000 to secure lot 189, a colt by Iffraaj (GB). 

New Zealand Bloodstock and the Macau Jockey Club joined forces to stream the sale live into Macau, and the initiative reaped dividends, as the Macau Jockey was the leading individual buyer on the day, purchasing 15 horses for a total of NZ$562,000. By comparison, Macau buyers bought just five horses in total last year. 

Mike Kneebone, Director of New Zealand Bloodstock Asia, was the driving force behind the Macau concept, and he said, “The Macau Jockey Club is very happy with the day’s proceedings. Being our first time, I thought the team here and in Macau did a brilliant job and it is something to build on for the future. It was amazing to have them as the leading buyers after the first day and they have expressed interest in further lots tomorrow so we are excited to see how that develops.”