Cambridge Stud's headline stallion Tavistock played a significant role in the successful Diamond Lodge draft at last year's Ready to Run Sale, and he is set to feature prominently again in 2018 with the half-brother to Group I New Zealand Derby winner Habibi.
Diamond Lodge has forged a reputation as one of the leading vendors at the annual Karaka two-year-old sale, and last year was no different. Jeremy Whale's operation finished second on the vendors' list by aggregate, having sold 16 horses for a total of NZ$2.519 million.
Three of their draft fetched NZ$300,000 or more, with another two above NZ$200,000 and five at NZ$145,000 or more.
A colt by Tavistock fetched the top price in Diamond Lodge's class of 2017. Lot 407, out of the Volksraad mare Tristraad, sold to Hong Kong for NZ$370,000 – the equal fifth-highest price of the sale.
For good measure another son of Tavistock, Lot 343 (out of the Centaine mare Shartiz), was bought by Phill Cataldo for NZ$145,000.
Diamond Lodge will
offer 24 two-year-olds at the 2018 Ready to Run Sale, including three well-bred
sons of Tavistock.
"We had a Tavistock colt that sold really well last year, and our three by that stallion in this year's draft are all really nice horses," Whale said.
"A couple of them are out of Zabeel mares, and obviously that's a proven cross. The other one is a half-brother to the New Zealand Derby winner Habibi."
The famed cross of Tavistock with Zabeel mares has produced Group One winners Tarzino and Werther, along with the other black-type performers Hasselhoof, Pacorus, Gobstopper, Milseain, Imperial Lass, Diamond Valores and Tessastock.
Diamond Lodge's draft also features the progeny of Shooting To Win, Rubick, Atlante, Hallowed Crown, Rip Van Winkle, Savabeel, Dawn Approach, Sacred Falls, Ocean Park, Pins, Deep Field, Mossman, Reliable Man, Ferlax, Darci Brahma, Wandjina and Jimmy Choux.
"I'm really happy with our draft this year," Whale said.
"It's a nice spread of horses – a really good range, from sprinting types to stayers. There should be a bit of something for everyone." – The Informant
