Kneebone buoyant about NZB Weanling Sale

Media Release - Thursday June 16

New Zealand Bloodstock Director of Business Development Mike Kneebone is in a buoyant mood ahead of the sales company’s annual weanling sale at Karaka on Friday.

The Valachi Downs draft has added plenty of quality to New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale catalogue. Photo: Trish Dunell

“I am pleasantly surprised. Going around, I think there are some really nice weanlings here. I think the icing on the cake is having the Valachi weanlings,” Kneebone said.

“They have got some great stock that are beautifully bred and to kick the sale off with them is going to be a very good springboard into the sale.

“There are nice horses right throughout the complex, not just in one or two drafts.

“There are a few Aussies on the ground, and I think we are going to see a lot more of them as the year goes on.

“I am pretty excited for the sale. I am cautiously optimistic, as per usual.”

The sale will be kicked-off by the Valachi Downs weanlings, which is an appetizer for the Matamata farm’s broodmare dispersal sale on Gavelhouse Plus.

“It is more than a supplementary catalogue, it is a dispersal,” Kneebone said.

“I think they are deserving of the position of kicking off the weanling sale, and if anyone goes and has a look at the draft they would agree with me.

Advertisement

“With the broodmares and race fillies coming up later on, it is a good time for people to come and have a look and see what some of those horses have thrown and give them plenty of time to head out to Valachi over the next couple of weeks and see what they have available.”

Sydney-based Kneebone is set to spend more time in New Zealand over the coming months with former NZB Sales Manager Danny Rolston set to take up a new role with the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

“There is a bit of a hole there at the moment that we are looking to fill. In the meantime, we have got an excellent team here and we have every confidence in them,” Kneebone said.

“Being based in Sydney, I am going to make my presence a little more in New Zealand, especially with the inspections coming up, I will be very involved with those.

“It is a system that we have had up and running for years. I am looking forward to it.”

Kneebone said he is set to remain in New Zealand for the rest of the month.

“For this trip to New Zealand, I am going to stay until the end of June to catch up with a lot of people that I didn’t see earlier in the year,” he said. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Spring Goals Await Caloundra Cup Winner Half Yours
With spring staying features on their minds, Tony and Calvin McEvoy sent their improving stayer north to Queensland for Saturday’s $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) with instant success as the 4yo gelding Half Yours romped home by four and a half lengths.
Istataba adds international flavour to National Online Breeding Stock Sale
Buyers can currently bid on 11 stakes-performed mares in the National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, including one that brings South American bloodlines and Singaporean racetrack performance.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 6
Here is the full list of 68 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Dubawi Colt from $US8million Mare Wins G1 Coral Eclipse for Coolmore
Blueblood Dubawi colt Delacroix was a beaten favourite in the Group I Epsom Derby when unplaced behind his stablemate Lambourn, but he found his time to shine overnight when scoring a miraculous last to first win in the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown.
Stakes Success for Spritely 7YO Warhorse
Pearce Racing's seven year old warhorse Ginger Baker collected his first ever stakes win in the Listed 2200m South West Cup yesterday.
New Juvenile Stakes-Winner Wootton Bassett
A two year-old Wootton Bassett  colt bred to stay, Daytona made it two wins as many starts when scoring a dominant win in the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes (1m) at Naas in Ireland overnight.
Group 1 Durban July Success For Son Of Australian Bred Gimmethegreenlight
Although not having previously sired a winner of South Africa’s greatest race, the Australian bred, South African-based sire Gimmethegreenlight (More Than Ready) added a 13th individual Group 1 winner to his record when the Dean Kannemeyer trained The Real Prince (SAF) added Saturday’s R5m Group 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July (2200m) to his record.
Quality Cambridge Stud draft in National Online Breeding Stock Sale
The need for Cambridge Stud to control the size of their star-studded broodmare band has opened up some special opportunities in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
G1 Winning Champion 2YO Velocious to be Offered on Inglis Digital
The G1-winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) will be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale.
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.