Shalaa - New Winner

Bloodstock agent Tina Rau has joined the Aga Khan Studs as international nominations representative; a newly created role aimed at strengthening the team’s presence at the major European sales.

The NZB Ready to Run Sale starts today with a catalogue of 480 to be offered on Wednesday and Thursday and past evidence would suggest G1 winners will be coming out of this sale.

After stumbling out of the barriers, Raikkonen picked himself up to make all the running in the $100,000 Kia Ora Prague Maiden Plate (1200m) at Canterbury on Wednesday.

A bright future is being tipped for Sibling Rivalry after she broke through for her maiden win in the Harcourts Monarch (1150m) at Te Aroha on Tuesday.

Manawatu dairy farmers Mark and Tania Stratford had a result to savour on the opening day of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale when their homebred colt by Harry Angel out of Ocean Spray fetched $425,000 to the bid of Hong Kong trainer Mark Newnham and Sweetbriar Equine.

The results of showpiece races throughout the spring have delivered notable pedigree updates to the catalogue for this week’s NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.

Northern targets await promising I Am Invincible filly I Am Belle following her debut victory in the Elmwood Trading Co. Two-Year-Old Premier (1000m) at Riccarton on Wednesday.

Shalaa (IRE) will have a runner at Sha Tin on Sunday when his class sprinter Recommendation flies the flag for Australia in the Group I HK International Sprint (1200m) and closer to home he had a brilliant winner at Randwick on Friday in Raikkonen.

Flying Capitalist filly Lazzago started life at Widden Stud and returned to the ‘Valley of Champions’ earlier this year to continue her stud career after selling at the Magic Millions National Sale for $1.4million.

By champion sire I Am Invincible from a Group I winning sprinter, this talented filly cast off maiden status at Gosford on Tuesday in the manner of a filly that will be winning better races.