A high-quality weanling catalogue for this week’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling & Broodmare Sale at Karaka has been further elevated by the results of recent feature races across Australasia and further afield.
One of the most significant pedigree updates in the catalogue comes from a Group One-winning close relative to Lot 12, Brighthill Farm’s colt by Tivaci out of Bad Habits (NZ) (Power).
Bad Habits is a half-sister to the dam of top-class Australian three-year-old Ruthless Dame (NZ) (Tavistock), who produced an exceptional performance to defeat a strong field of older mares in last month’s Group One Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) in Adelaide. She also overcame a less-than-ideal run to charge home for a close fifth in last Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in Brisbane.
Despite being only seven starts into her career, Ruthless Dame has already performed boldly in three Group One races – also finishing second in the Surround Stakes (1400m) in Sydney earlier this season. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly appears to have an enormously bright future.
Lot 12 is also from the same family as Warm Heart (Galileo), a three-year-old filly who recently won the Listed Fillies’ Trial Stakes (2000m) for champion trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Lot 98, meanwhile, comes from the same family as one of Australian racing’s brightest new sprint stars. Offered by Waikato Stud, this Banquo colt’s third dam Mer Du Sud (Bluebird) is also the third dam of Think About It (So You Think), who has had 10 starts for nine wins and more than A$2.8m in stakes. He has scored a brilliant Group One double during the Queensland Winter Carnival, capturing the Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) and Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in his last two appearances.
Lot 9 is a colt by Derryn out of Amour Cache (Exceed And Excel), being offered by Leanach Lodge. The colt is closely related to Foxy Frida (Foxwedge), who has been in outstanding form since the catalogue went to print. The five-year-old has won the Group Three R A Lee Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville and the A$500,000 National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm, and she also finished second in the Group Two Queen Of The South Stakes (1600m).
Also from the same family as Lot 9 is the quality mare Another Award (Shamus Award), who has picked up recent Group One placings in the Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) and the Goodwood Handicap (1200m).
Cambria Park presents Lot 22, a colt by Turn Me Loose (NZ) out of Chapchick (NZ) (High Chaparral). This colt is closely related to the boom Queensland three-year-old Yellow Brick (The Mission), who has now had 10 starts for six wins and four placings. Since the catalogue went to print, he has won the Group Three Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) and placed in the Group Three Fred Best Classic (1400m) and Gunsynd Classic (1600m).
Another recent stakes performer from the same family as Lot 22 is the three-year-old filly Wessex (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), who beat older mares in last month’s Group Three Rotorua Stakes (1400m).
Lot 182 comes from the same family as Hong Kong star Russian Emperor (Galileo), who recently recorded his second Group One win in the Champions & Chater Cup (2400m).
Lot 234 is a close relative of star Godolphin filly Wet Paint (Blame), who won three stakes races earlier this year and was an unlucky fourth in last month’s Grade One Kentucky Oaks (1800m).
Other notable pedigree updates include:
- Lot 7 comes from the same family as Game Run (Olympic Glory), who recently won the Group Two Prix du Gros-Chene (1000m) at Chantilly. Game Run has also recently placed at black-type level, as has fellow family member Teutates (Churchill) – a three-year-old who placed in the Group Three Gallinule Stakes (2000m) at the Curragh.
- As well as being closely related to this season’s Group Three winner Devastate (NZ) (Vadamos) – who added another win at Ruakaka last weekend to his strong record – the outstanding pedigree page of Lot 20 received a further boost with the recent Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) placing by two-year-old filly Paragon (NZ) (Embellish).
- Lot 68 is closely related to the promising Wewillrock (NZ) (El Roca), who placed in last Saturday’s Listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Randwick.
- Lot 83 comes from the same family as recent Group winners in both France and Hong Kong. Tribalist (Farhh) won the Group Two Prix du Muguet (1600m) at Saint-Cloud, while Beauty Eternal (Starspangledbanner) captured the Group Three Lion Rock Trophy (1600m) and placed in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m).
Weanling sales at Karaka have proven to be an exceptional source of racetrack success. Standout graduates include recent Group One winner Pignan (NZ) (Staphanos) and Karaka Million hero Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who were purchased for $15,000 and $50,000 respectively.
The value found from this sale is further highlighted by four-time Group One winner Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante), who was just a $3,000 weanling purchase, and NZB Filly of the Year winner Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), who cost $5,000.
All weanlings offered are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Million Series. Graduates can compete for a share in the $1m DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), followed by the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) and the $120,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup (2200m) for the reminder of their careers.
Selling of the 253-lot catalogue begins at 10am (NZT) on Friday 16 June.
For more information about the Sale, contact NZB Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email Kane.jones@nzb.co.nz.
