Trainers Series Builds Local Buying Power at NZB Ready to Run Sale

Media Release - Tuesday November 12

The fifth edition of NZB’s popular Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series has boosted local trainers’ chances of holding their own against the powerful overseas market during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka next week.

NZB Ready to Run Sale is next week.

Last Saturday’s NZB Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series Premier (1400m) at Riccarton was the last leg of a seven-race series that began at Hastings in early September. Lucrative prizes were attached to each race, and the spoils were split between six stables – Robbie Patterson, Pam Gerard, Tony Pike, Lisa Latta, Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson (two wins), and Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall.

Advertisement

The NZB Ready to Run Trainers Series was backed for the fifth year in a row by long-term sponsors Majestic Horse Transport, while Dunstan Horsefeeds also came on board as a new partner. The winning trainer in each sponsored race received the following prize package:

  •  $500 travel voucher towards travel to the 2024 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.
  • A $1,000 insurance voucher towards insurance for one purchase at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale, courtesy of NZB Insurance.
  • Majestic Horse Transport voucher (valued at $250 for Northern, $400 for Central and $750 for Southern race winners) towards the transport of one 2024 Ready to Run Sale purchase, courtesy of Majestic Horse Transport.
  • A $500 feed voucher from leading industry supporter Dunstan Horsefeeds.
     

The individual winners of each of the seven races in this year’s NZB Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series were as follows:

  • Hastings, September 7: Belles Fate (NZ) (Iffraaj), trained by Robbie Patterson at New Plymouth.
  • Riccarton, September 14: Karaka 2022 graduate Tonia’s Dragon (NZ) (Time Test), for in-form Matamata trainer Pam Gerard.
  • Matamata, October 2: Acquarello (Written Tycoon), from the Cambridge stable of Tony Pike.
  • Hawera, October 5: Connello (NZ) (Time Test), trained by Lisa Latta at Awapuni.
  • Ellerslie, October 19: The first of two wins in the series for Te Akau Racing’s Matamata-based training partnership of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson. This win came with Legally Binding (Exceedance).
  • Ellerslie, November 5: Confiance (NZ) (Proisir), trained by Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall at Matamata.
  • Riccarton, November 9: Walker and Bergerson’s second win, this time with Karaka 2022 graduate Mazzucato (NZ) (Tivaci).
     

Matamata based trainer Graham Richardson praised the initiative for the domestic buying bench, following Confiance'(NZ) (Proisir) win in the Series at Ellerslie.

"I was really stoked when I received the prize package along with the race."

"It gives domestic trainers a boost to want to go out and buy at this type of Sale," he added.

The 2024 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from 11am (NZT) on 20 & 21 November with Breeze Ups to be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on 21 & 22 October.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Pride of Jenni Too Good for Treasurethe Moment in G2 Feehan
Pride of Jenni might be an eight year-old mare that is drawing ever closer to the end of her glorious career, but there was a sparkle in her eye before the Group II MVRC Feehan Stakes (1600m) and it was the Jenni of old that ran her rivals ragged at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Toronado’s Snow Mercy Takes Out G3 Scarborough Stakes
Coming off the back of a maiden victory at Morphettville recently at just her second start, the Phillip Stokes trained Snow Mercy highlighted her future class with an impressive victory in the Group 3 MVRC Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Stutt Stakes
The racing and breeding world was shocked earlier this week by the passing of champion sire Wootton Bassett (GB), whose talented son West of Swindon picked the right race in which to break his maiden when scoring a bold front running victory in the $300,000 Group II MVRC Stutt Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
Charm Stone Share Highlights September (Late) Online Sale
A share in G1 winner Charm Stone headlines the Inglis Digital September (Late) Online Sale, which is now open for bidding.
Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click
A quality packed catalogue for the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.
Ardrossan Filly Wins First Kiwi Juvenile Race of New Season
Otaki horseman Johno Benner has a good association with the Karaka Millions, and he could have another serious contender on his hands for January’s showpiece.
Deserving Stakes Success For Splash Back (Fr)
Unlucky not to already has a stakes victory on her resume, the Grahame Begg trained French-bred Le Havre mare Splash Back (Fr) broke through on Friday night at Moonee Valley, winning the $300,000 Group 2 MVRC Stock Stakes (1500m).
Manhattan Rain Gold Rush in WA
Geisel Park won’t be the only WA breeder on board when the first locally-conceived 2yo crop of its Group 1 sire Manhattan Rain get mobile this season.
€1.9million Sale-Topping Colt Wins G3 Somerville Stakes
The Group III Somerville Stakes (7f) was run at Newmarket overnight with the Godolphin blue carried by exciting Night of Thunder colt Distant Storm, who they purchased for a sale-topping €1.9million at the Arqana May Breeze Up Sale earlier this year.