Valachi Downs Finish on a High

Media Release - Friday June 17

There were mixed emotions at Karaka on Friday as 20 weanlings presented as Valachi Downs’ final offering at a physical sale found new homes when sold at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale.

The youngsters sold for an aggregate of $1.3 million, headlined by lot 1005, the Savabeel colt out of Bohemian Lily, who was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $360,000.

Lot 1005, the Savabeel colt out of Bohemian Lily, was purchased out of Valachi Downs’ draft by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $360,000. Photo: Trish Dunell

Lot 1005, the Savabeel colt out of Bohemian Lily, was purchased out of Valachi Downs’ draft by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $360,000. Photo: Trish Dunell

“I thought it was a great opportunity to buy from Valachi,” Ellis said.

“These are the best foals that they bred that year. They are here for a really genuine sale.

“I love the pedigree. We have got three Savabeel colts that are now at stud – Noverre, Embellish and Cool Aza Beel.

“I thought this is a Group One colt in the making if ever I have seen one. We are thrilled to have him for Te Akau Racing.”

Valachi Downs General Manager Gareth Downey was pleased with the result and he expected the colt to make that sort of money.

“It was a really pleasing result,” he said.

“I think we brought a very nice line-up of horses here that were very well received by the buying bench.

“They got somewhere between weanling and yearling prices, and it was a yearling quality draft that came to a weanling sale. They deserved to be appreciated like they were.

“I thought if he stopped at $300,000 then there could still be some pinhookers that would be interested because it is reasonable to think he could be a $600,000 kind of yearling if everything went well between now and then,” he said.

“I thought somewhere between $300,000 and $400,000 is where he would be sitting and that was exactly the money he made.

“It was great he went to Te Akau where he will be able to race in New Zealand and he will get opportunity.”

Advertisement

It was an emotional sale for the Valachi Downs team, headed by General Manager Gareth Downey (centre). Photo: Angelique Bridson

It was an emotional sale for the Valachi Downs team, headed by General Manager Gareth Downey (centre). Photo: Angelique Bridson

With the quality of their draft, the Valachi Downs team have been rushed off their feet with inspections this week and Downey was proud to see his team perform so well under pressure.

“Kevin (Hickman, Valachi Downs Principal) has such an appreciation for his team and they have such an appreciation for him,” Downey said.

“it was inspiring to watch the way the team worked together over those last few days for that last draft, where motivation could have been struggling.”

It was a bittersweet day for Downey, who is overlooking the final stages of Valachi Downs’ stock dispersal.

“This will be the last time Valachi will ever sell at a public auction,” he said.

“Valachi have been such big supporters of New Zealand, and particularly New Zealand Bloodstock.

“It is great to be here with the final draft. It is very bittersweet, we would love to be carrying on for many more years, but it felt important to go out on a high note to honour Kevin, and it feels like that is what we have done.

“It is great to see the product honoured the way it was and the team effort was absolutely phenomenal. We are so lucky to have the team of people that we have at Valachi.

“This is the first stage of the four-stage dispersal process. Tonight 51 broodmares will go online (on plus.gavelhouse.com) and they will sell over the next week.

“As the hammer comes down on them, 52 of the racing stock go live online, and they sell for a week.

“We then have two weeks respite until the last of the horses, which is 21 weanlings and a few other mixed stock will go online right at the end of July.” – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires Pack Profitable Punch at Weanling Sale
There are many members of New Zealand’s stallion ranks whose progenies racetrack results far exceed their service fee.  Next month’s NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka is an ideal opportunity for traders and end users to secure the progeny of these creditable sires.
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
Investing in Fillies Can Pay Big Dividends
We saw it earlier this month at Inglis Chairman’s Sale and we saw it again this week, purchasing yearling fillies that can perform to a high level has the potential to yield a big pay day in the sale ring, so let’s take a closer look.
$1500 Weanling Becomes $525,000 Top Lot at MM National Yearling Finale
A colt by Harry Angel set a new benchmark in Australia for his sire and topped the final day of the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale when selling for $525,000 to conclude a hugely successful two weeks of sales.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 Queensland Oaks
Unbeaten this preparation, Philia will be looking to emulate her half-sister Duais in winning the $1million Group I BRC Queensland Oaks (2200m) on Saturday, but a swarm of up and comers are nipping at her heels, so who are they?
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Wins Epsom Oaks for Coolmore
The Group I Epsom Oaks (1m4f) had a raging hot favourite in undefeated Godolphin entry Desert Flower, but she came up short in her first try at the classic trip going down to finish third behind the Aidan O’Brien trained duo Minnie Hauk (Frankel and Whirl (Wootton Bassett).
In-Demand Stallions Feature in NZB Weanling Sale Catalogue
The catalogue for the 2025 NZB National Weanling Sale features the progeny of a broad range of sires, from proven topliners to exciting up-and-comers as well as the brand-new kid on the block, Profondo.
Inglis Ready 2 Race Entries Open
Entries for the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – Australasia’s most progressive 2YO Sale – are now open.