The catalogue assembled for New Zealand Bloodstock's 93rd National Yearling Sale Series has serious firepower so buyers can expect a line-up of over 1,200 of the country's best thoroughbred yearlings to inspect.
The passion and knowledge within the New Zealand breeding industry, combined with the outstanding environment for growing out horses, allows kiwi thoroughbreds every opportunity of greatness.
Last season alone, NZB Yearling Sale graduates provided a total of 120 stakes wins and 18 Group One wins throughout all key racing jurisdictions.
These world-beating yearlings captured a
clean sweep of all three Victorian Group One Guineas features with Mighty Boss
(Not a Single Doubt) triumphing in the Group One Caulfield Guineas, Aloisia
(NZ) (Azamour) added the Thousand Guineas, and Grunt (NZ) (O'Reilly) storming
home to win the Australian Guineas.
New Zealand sourced fillies have reigned supreme in the last five consecutive Group One Australian Oaks with the honour roll featuring Yearling Sale graduates Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock), Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi), Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi) and Gust of Wind (NZ) (Darci Brahma), and kiwi-bred filly Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar).
These Guineas and Oaks winners cost between $65,000 and $360,000, an average of $177,500, to secure at Karaka.
The non-stop success of graduates reaches
the racing scene of Hong Kong where Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road to Rock) and
Mr Stunning (Exceed and Excel) headed breath-taking repeats in the two main
feature races at the Longines Hong Kong International Races.
Erasing any doubt as the world's premier miler, Beauty Generation kicked off the season with three straight wins and delivered a fourth in the HK$25 million Group One Hong Kong Mile. He is the reigning Hong Kong Horse of the Year and he has now won four Group One races in the last 12 months, cementing his position as the world's highest rated miler.
Star sprinter Mr Stunning again led the charge HK$20 million Group One Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Second, third and fourth placegetters were also graduates of the Karaka sale ring.
New Zealand-bred horses claimed 72% of all black-type races in Singapore last year, with Yearling Sale graduates such as Be Bee (NZ) (Showcasing), Champion Two-Year-Old, and Gilt Complex (NZ) (Gold Centre), Champion Older Horse, Champion Stayer and Most Improved Horse, contributing to those wins.
With only a couple of weeks until the annual thoroughbred harvest, the attention will turn to the thrilling afternoon of racing on the eve of the Sales. Million dollar racing will set the tone for the week with New Zealand's richest race meeting of the year, the Karaka MillionTwilight Meeting.
Held on Saturday 26 January, the six-race programme will feature the $1 million Karaka Million 2YO and the $1 million Karaka Million 3YO Classic, along with the $100,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup and a further three Group races.
View the live order of entry for the Karaka Million 2YO and Karaka Million 3YO Classic online here: https://www.nzb.co.nz/sponsorships/karaka-million/index.cfm.
Just 12 months ago, the talented youngsters who will line up for the two-year-old feature were walking through the Karaka sale ring and now they will be competing for their first share in $1 million.
Your opportunity to do the same begins when the first 100 yearlings go under the hammer from 3.00pm at the opening session of Book 1 on Sunday 27 January. A total of 698 yearlings will be auctioned across the first half of the week, with the next 378 yearlings catalogued in Book 2 running across Thursday and Friday. The remaining 208 yearlings will be offered in Book 3 on Sunday 3 February.
NZB is proud to showcase these thoroughbreds to the world and look forward to welcoming you to Karaka in 2019.
For any last minute accommodation bookings contact NZB's Hospitality Coordinator Harry King on harry.king@nzb.co.nz.
