Final Results for Karaka 2021

After a phenomenal 95th National Yearling Sales Series, final results have been accumulated from New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 and Book 2 yearling sessions held at the iconic Karaka Sales Centre.

Karaka 2021 kicked off at Ellerslie racecourse, where the eyes of the thoroughbred world turned into NZB’s show-stopping event, the Karaka Million Twilight meeting.

Super stable Te Akau Racing made history again securing an incredible five consecutive victories in the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), with On The Bubbles (Brazen Beau) carrying the tangerine colours to victory. On The Bubbles was secured by Te Akau Principal David Ellis for $90,000 from Leanach Lodge and is trained by leading trainer Jamie Richards. The 2021 edition of the two-year-old feature was sponsored for the first time by The DoubleTree by Hilton at Karaka. 

The $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) saw more historic results achieved after star three-year-old Aegon (NZ) became the first horse to win both the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic. He was a $150,000 purchase from Waikato Stud’s draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2019 by Andrew Forsman, who shares ownership with the Zame Partnership and co-trains with Murray Baker.

The two one million dollar features provided the perfect entrée for the week of selling that was to follow.

Over five days of trading at Karaka 2021, 647 yearlings sold for an aggregate of $60,996,500. Incredibly, the combined average and median increased on previous years, reaching $94,276 and $62,500 respectively and the clearance rate settled at a recent record of 82%.

The confidence in the domestic market was evident with kiwi buyers accounting for 58% of the total spend at Karaka 2021.

In what were trying circumstances due to border closures, international buyers still made their presence felt, with 37% of the horses offered receiving an online bid.

The highlight of the week was the $800,000 purchase by David Ellis, (Lot 94) a Zoustar filly out of Scintillula (Galileo) from Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow Stud draft. While The Hong Kong Jockey Club secured the second highest priced yearling, (Lot 520) a Savabeel colt out of Lovetessa (NZ) (O’Reilly) for $720,000 from Cambridge Stud’s draft. 

All yearlings purchased at Karaka are eligible for the lucrative Karaka Million Series with two $1 million races available for graduates as two and three-year-olds, plus the $100,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup for the duration of their career. Nominations must be received by 5PM (NZT) on Monday 1 March 2021.

Revisit all the highlights and Lot-by-Lot footage from the week here.

To make enquiries about Passed Lots contact Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email kane.jones@nzb.co.nz or Regan Donnison on +64 21 512 466 or email regan.donnison@nzb.co.nz.

View the Passed Lots for each catalogue here:

• Book 1
• Book 2

Upcoming NZB Sale Calendar

• South Island Sale on Gavelhouse Plus – Wednesday 14 April
• National Weanling Sale – Friday 14 May at Karaka

2021 National Yearling Sales Series Combined Statistics

Karaka 2021 Top 20 Lots