Pedigree Potential – Karaka 2023 – Nicks that Click

Sponsored Content - by Tara Madgwick - Monday December 19

Cox Plate winning sire Ocean Park has enjoyed plenty of success in Australia and has a real star on the rise in Group III BRC Grand Prix (2100m) winner Kovalica, who has again put the spotlight on his sire, who has 65 entries for NZB Books 1 and 2 at Karaka.

Ocean Park has sired 18 stakes-winners and 12 of them have been successful in Australia including his Group I winners Tofane and Kolding, with Kovalica looking to emulate their success next year.

Kovalica has a half-sister to be offered at Karaka Book 1.

He is trained by Chris Waller, who will seek to target Derby races for the up and comer, who has won four of five starts and was bought for $110,000 from the Curraghmore draft at Karaka Book 1 in 2021.

Kovalica is the first runner for Ocean Park from a daughter of Makfi (GB) and while there are no yearlings bred on this cross to be offered at Karaka, it’s worth having a look at the performance of Makfi as a broodmare sire as he’s building a promising record.

The Group I winning son of Dubawi is sire of the dam of 14 stakes-winners, two of them new Group I winners in 2022 in McKulick (3f Frankel) and Belbek (2c Showcasing) also this season’s promising New Zealand trained two year-old stakes-winner Ethereal Star (Snitzel).

There are 13 yearlings to be offered in Books 1 and 2 from Mafi mares including Lot 626 from Kilgravin Lodge, the half-sister by Super Seth to Kovalica from Vitesse.

Cox Plate winner Ocean Park has sired 12 of his 18 stakes-winners in Australia.

The most successful nick for Ocean Park in terms of producing stakes-winners comes with daughters of Pins. They have combined to produce 29 winners from 39 runners and five are stakes-winners.

There are three bred this way in Book 1 as follows:

Lot 328 Colt Ocean Park x Make a Wish – Waikato Stud

Full brother to Group III winner Another Dollar and half-brother to Golden Eagle winner I Wish I Win.

Lot 436 Colt Ocean Park x Pretty – Waikato Stud

Full brother to SW Pretty to Sea and half-brother to SW Bonny O’Reilly and to the dam of Group III winner Espiona.

Lot 474 Filly Ocean Park x Runway – Carlaw Park

Third foal of winning half-sister to triple Group I winner and Champion NZ 3YO Gingernuts.

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 $120,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup for the duration of their career. 

For all of your hospitality, hotel bookings and travel enquiries, contact travel@nzb.co.nz.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Tattersalls December Foal Sale Day 1 -First Season Sires Impress
The four-day Tattersalls December Foal Sale got off to a solid start with two lots by first season sires DRAGON SYMBOL and SHAQUILLE jointly heading proceedings at 75,000 guineas and increases in the turnover, median, average and clearance rate from the equivalent day in 2024.
Tragic Death of St Jean
This year’s Melbourne Cup provided the ultimate fairytale result when Australian bred stayer Half Yours claimed a memorable victory for champion jockey Jamie Melham and popular trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy, but there has been a tragic twist to this story.
Cambridge Stud Present Something Special in 2026
The histories of Cambridge Stud and New Zealand Bloodstock are intrinsically linked and with 100 years of trade being celebrated at Karaka in 2026 it’s an occasion to be marked with something special.
260,000 Guineas Havana Grey Colt Tops Tattersalls December Foals Day 2
Australian breeders have had exposure to the Havana Grey sireline this spring with his champion son Vandeek (GB) shuttling to Arrowfield Stud and his foals were in hot demand overnight - Strong trade on the second day of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale was headed by a 260,000 guineas HAVANA GREY colt, the highest priced foal sold in the session since 2018.
Yulong Swoop on Within the Law Shares on MM Digital
Two shares in Bjorn Baker and Darby Racing's star three-year-old filly Within the Law were well sought after in the Magic Millions Digital Sale (21-26 November) which concluded today with Yulong buying back into a filly they bred and sold as a yearling.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday November 26
Here is the full list of 46 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Star Kiwi Mares Primed for Rich Summer Races
Ken and Bev Kelsos’ millionaire duo of Legarto and Alabama Lass are well on target for further major assignments as the feature summer racing period looms.
One to Watch - Geelong
By champion sire I Am Invincible from Group I winning sprinter Volpe Veloce, this lightly raced three year-old filly was an eye-catching maiden winner at Geelong on Wednesday.
Dates Confirmed for 2026 NZB National Online Yearling Sale
The dates for NZB’s National Online Yearling Sale have been confirmed for 2026, with the Sale set to be held on leading online auction platform Gavelhouse Plus. 
425,000 Guinea Frankel Colt Tops Tattersalls December Yearlings
It's the start of a big fortnight of sales in the UK with Tattersalls December kicking off overnight with the yearling session to be followed later this week by Foals and then next week the stellar Mares will be offered, a sale that produced reigning Australian Horse of the Year Via Sistina (IRE) in 2023.