Karaka Studs Set Pace at Book Two

Karaka-based vendors vied for the top spot on the first day of selling at Book Two of the National Yearling Sales Series, with Westbury Stud and Haunui Farm providing the four top lots.

The Reliable Man colt, out of Elusive Quality mare Quality Dream, went through the ring as Lot 872 in Westbury Stud's draft and set the benchmark at $270,000.

He is set to return to New Zealand Bloodstock's Ready to Run Sale in November after being knocked down to the bid of former Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Brian Jenkins.

"He's for myself and a partner," Jenkins said. "He will probably go through the breeze-ups, we bought him to trade."

The farm also sold the second-equal highest priced yearling today with a son of first season sire Kermadec (Lot 755) who made $160,000, joining the stables of purchaser and Awapuni-based trainer Lisa Latta.

Former winning Karaka Million 2YO trainer, Latta commented "He strikes me as an autumn two-year-old and a lovely Two Thousand Guineas type of horse."

"We will enter him in the series [Karaka Million] because there is now the three-year-old race as well."

Two of Haunui Farm's yearlings reached that same figure of $160,000 this afternoon. Both yearlings were by Showcasing with a colt out of Party Lights (Lot 854) secured by Queensland trainer Liam Birchley, and a colt out of Saheel (Lot 892) going to the bid of Hong Kong-based Upper Bloodstock.

A pleased Birchley commented about his purchase saying "I've had a couple of Showcasings – one won the Karaka Million a few years ago, and this colt is along the same lines as him."

As trading closed today, Westbury Stud topped the leading vendor by average table with six lots sold for an average of $87,917 and Haunui Farm have come out on top as the leading vendor by aggregate trading $682,000 for 11 yearlings.

Little Avondale Stud, who sold a Per Incanto colt (Lot 875) to Hiwi Lodge for $150,000, are the second leading vendor by average with five lots sold averaging a price of $85,500.

Per Incanto, who heads the stallion roster at Little Avondale Stud, is the leading sire by average (three or more sold) with six of his progeny selling at an average of $77,500.

Westbury Stud's resident sire Reliable Man has sold five lots at an average of $68,300, while Haunui Farm's Showcasing has sold 11 lots at an average of $54,773.

NZB's Managing Director Andrew Seabrook commented on the day's trading.

"There was good competition at the higher end of Book 2's catalogue, with Westbury, Haunui and Little Avondale all getting top honours in the statistics.

"We have two more days of selling yet to come and there are still plenty of opportunities for buyers, especially pin-hookers looking for Ready to Run horses."

127 of today's 202 catalogued lots sold for receipts of $5,056,500. The average closed at $39,815, the median $30,000 and the clearance rate 70%.

The second and final day of Book 2 selling commences tomorrow at 11am with Lot 901 to Lot 1076 going under the hammer.

All horses purchased at Karaka this week are eligible for the lucrativeKaraka Million Serieswith two $1 million races available for graduates as two and three-year-olds. Nominations must be received by 5pm Tuesday 5 March 2019.

Click hereto see the passed in Lots from Book 2.

Catch the highlights from Day 5 and relive all the actiononline here.

2019 Book 2 Yearling Sale Statistics – Day 1