A highly successful National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka came to a close on Sunday with the Festival Yearling Sale and as has been the case since trade commenced a week ago, the sale posted an improved set of results with the aggregate, average, median and clearance rate all coming in higher than last year. 188 horses were sold at this year's Festival Sale, just four less than last year despite 31 fewer lots catalogued. The aggregate was NZ$3,020,200, an increase of 7% on last year's figure while the average rose 10% to NZ$16,065. The median of NZ$12,000 was 20% higher than last year while the clearance rate remained strong at 79%, up from last year's rate of 71%.
Sustained growth has underpinned the whole week of Karaka 2016 highlighted by an all-time record median of NZ$55,000, rising 22% from last year's NZ$45,000. Also increasing substantially was the aggregate that rose 27% to NZ$85,648,400 along with the average that reached NZ$88,025, 17% higher than 2015, all complimented by a healthy clearance rate of 80%. NZB's Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was understandably delighted with how the six days of selling played out. “We came into this year's sale confident that we would have a good week but we have exceeded our own expectations,” commented Seabrook. “We have grossed nearly NZ$20m more than last year – to increase by that much is an incredible effort. A big thank you has to go out to everyone involved this week, internationals and locals. It is a credit to our vendors to have a week as successful as this one was, and we wish buyers all the best with their Karaka purchases.”
Sunday's top price came at lot 1199, purchased for NZ$80,000 by Shane Crawford of Regal Farm. Offered by Lime Country Thoroughbreds, the colt by leading first season sire Jimmy Choux (NZ) (Thorne Park {Aus}) is out of the Stratum (Aus) mare Asian Wind (Aus). Successful Ready To Run Sale vendors, Regal Farm are likely to bring the colt back to Karaka in November for the 2-year-old sale. “We've enjoyed some good success at the Ready To Run Sale previously and this guy looks an ideal type for that,” commented Crawford. “He is a beautiful moving horse who is well balanced and has a good head, neck and shoulder to him. He is also nicely mannered and looks an early season type.”
The second highest price of the Sale was NZ$70,000, given by Ruakaka trainer Donna Logan for lot 1205, a filly by Tavistock (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}) out of Bantry Bay (Aus). Logan has an affinity with the progeny of Tavistock, training Group 1 winner Volkstok'n'barrell (NZ). The leading buyer of the Festival Sale was Stephen McKee who purchased five horses for NZ$174,500. This year's Karaka Million winning trainer's most expensive purchase was NZ$55,000 for lot 1287, a colt by Dalghar (Fr) (Anabaa) out of Golden Eve (NZ) (Pins {Aus}). The leading sire by average with three or more sold at the Festival Sale was Jimmy Choux, with six horses sold for an average of NZ$36,500, including the day's top lot. At the top of both the leading vendor by aggregate and average tables on Sunday was Haunui Farm, selling seven horses for a total of NZ$316,000 at an average of NZ$45,143.
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