The 100th New Zealand National Yearling Sale kicks off on Sunday at Karaka and Maree McEwan has been out talking to some optimistic vendors and looking for their highlights.

2020 European Horse of the Year Ghaiyyath (IRE) got his first Group I winner in Australia last spring in Victoria Derby hero Observer and had his second overnight when Opera Ballo took the G1 Jebel Hatta (1m1f), while the other G1 on the card at Meydan also had a winner of serious interest for a different reason.