Family Favourites and Nicks that Click - Karaka 2024

Sponsored Content - by Tara Madgwick - Tuesday January 16

Some interesting winners over the past week with Karaka connections include two of the most exciting juveniles in Australia and the latest Group I winner for a serious Group I sire.

The 2024 NZB National Yearling Sale Series – Books 1 and 2 - (January 28 – February 2) features the best yearlings New Zealand has to offer and we’ve gone looking for something interesting in the mix!

Quintessa wins the G1 Levin Classic - image Peter Rubery Race Images

Te Akau owned Shamus Award filly Quintessa was a $170,000 K1 purchase and became the sixth Group I winner for her Cox Plate winning sire Shamus Award when she won the Group I Levin Classic, read about her here.

Shamus Award is an exceptional source of Group I winners and has just one entry for Book 1, a filly bred on a nick that has worked very well for her sire in the past.

Lot 81 Filly Shamus Award x Fille Champagne, by Sebring – Westbury Stud

Shamus Award has sired eight winners from 10 starters by Sebring with the best of them Ironedge, but go back a little further and look at Shamus Award over mares by Sebring’s sire More Than Ready (USA) and you find a very potent nick that has 100% success with six winners from six runners headed by Group I winner Media Award, Group III winner Mimi’s Award and stakes-placed Need New Friends.

Shamus Award runs at nearly 7% SW to runner with 24 stakes-winners but interestingly six are G1 winners so 25% of his SW’s are G1 winners!

Too Darn Lizzie is the fourth Australian winner for her sire Too Darn Hot (GB) -image Grant Courtney

Purchased for $1million as a yearling, Too Darn Lizzie was the highest priced Southern Hemisphere bred yearling by Too Darn Hot (GB) from his first crop and raced to a stunning debut win in the $500,000 Magic Millions Debut as a hot favourite, read about her here.

There are three yearlings by Too Darn Hot in Book 1 and they are all fillies including one that is bred on very similar lines to Too Darn Lizzie, who is from Enbihaar, a daughter of Flying Spur son Magnus.

Offered by Wentwood Grange as Lot 231, their Too Darn Hot filly is from Miss Challenger, a daughter of Flying Spur.

Storm Boy is the most exciting 2YO colt in Australia - image Grant Courtney

Unbeaten Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy was the talk of the town last weekend after brilliantly winning the $3million Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast and is now seen as one of the most exciting young sire prospects in the country, read about him here.

He comes from the family of New Zealand Horse of the Year Seachange and there are two entries for Book 1 from this family which has also produced Group I winner Keepa Cruisin.

Lot 49 Colt Bivouac x Espresso Martini – Hallmark Stud

Lot 386 Colt Darci Brahma x Seven Seas – The Oaks Stud

There are also five yearlings in K1 by Justify and one that is bred on the same cross as Storm Boy being from a daughter of Fastnet Rock.  The Justify x Fastnet Rock nick is looming as one of serious potential with 12 winners from 14 runners, so 85.7% winner to runner and four stakes-winners – Storm Boy, Learning to Fly, Star of Justice, Just Steel - at 28.5% SW to runner.

Lot 62 Filly Justify (USA) x Fair Isle – Pencarrow Stud

Continuing NZB’s traditional sale format, Book 1 is set to commence from Sunday 28 until Tuesday 30 January from 10am (NZT) each day, while Book 2 will begin directly after from Wednesday 31 January until Friday 2 February from 11am (NZT) each day.

For any general enquiries, contact info@nzb.co.nz or call +64 9 298 0055. For bloodstock enquiries, contact NZB Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on kane.jones@nzb.co.nz or call +64 27 274 4985.

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