The longest running 2-year-old sale in Australasia, the Karaka sale follows Magic Millions and Inglis in the juvenile breeze-up market.
Lyndhurst Farm has a proud selling history with their graduates meeting with far-reaching success.
Mark and Shelley Treweek’s Cambridge operation have an outstanding vendor record and they will again present a quality draft when the action gets underway at Karaka on Wednesday morning.
“We’ve been selling here for 12 or 13 years and we’ve had four sale-toppers and been the leading vendor eight times,” Mark Treweek said.
“Two years ago we had the Sebring that made NZ$650,000. But what’s most satisfying for us is to see the horses go on and win Group and Listed races after bringing them through our system.
“The best has probably been Glorious Days, who was a champion miler in Hong Kong, although he was passed in at the sale.”
Glorious Days (Hussonet), who was offered in 2009 and subsequently changed hands post-sale, went on to win the G1 Hong Kong Mile, G1 Stewards’ Cup and the G2 Jockey Club Mile.
“We also sold the New Zealand 2000 Guineas winners Atlante and Hall Of Fame and Linton won a Stradbroke H." - Mark Treweek.
“We also sold the New Zealand 2000 Guineas winners Atlante and Hall Of Fame and Linton won a Stradbroke H.," Treweek said. "Gun Pit was another good one we sold.” Gun Pit (Dubawi {IRE}) won eight races in Hong Kong and also ventured farther afield to finish runner-up in the G1 Al Maktoum Challenge S., in Dubai.
Mark and Shelley Treweek
Cautious optimism
While Treweek has every confidence in the calibre of Lyndhurst’s draft, he is approaching the sale with a degree of caution.
“Taking a lead from the breeze-ups in Australia, the top end was solid, but there were holes underneath,” he said.
“We just hope the money is spread over all the levels and everybody can get some.” - Mark Treweek.
“We just hope the money is spread over all the levels and everybody can get some.”
“Maybe the Australian buying bench hasn’t got the numbers it used to have, but then again that could be our pre-sale jitters. New Zealand Bloodstock has done all they can.
“Having said that, this is a flagship sale. The parades on the first two days were a bit down on the last two years, but a lot of Hong Kong buyers didn’t come in until Tuesday afternoon.”
2018 draft strong as ever
Treweek said their 2018 draft showcased an array of leading commercial sires.
“We’ve got a Hinchinbrook colt who should go really well, the Snitzel colt has been popular and there’s a Spirit Of Boom and a Pierro who should give everybody what they want.
“We’d like to think we’ll be finding homes for all of ours.” – Mark Treweek.
“We’d like to think we’ll be finding homes for all of ours.”
The son of Hinchinbrook (Lot 285) is from the family of the G1 Australian Derby winner Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and the Snitzel (Lot 12) is out of a three-quarter sister to the G1 Santa Anita Oaks winner Crisp (USA) (El Corredor {USA}) and to the G1 Belmont Futurity S., winner Whywhywhy (USA) (Mr Greeley {USA}).
Spirit Of Boom’s son (Lot 157) is out of Mountain Mist (Full And By), who won seven races.
Watch: Lot 285 Hinchinbrook x Sweet Talkin Woman
Timely success in HK
The weekend success of Karaka graduate Beauty Generation (NZ) (Road To Rock) in Hong Kong was a timely reminder to the Asian market of the quality of the New Zealand-bred.
Beauty Generation was a NZ$60,000 yearling buy out of Highden Park’s consignment and, racing as Montaigne, won two races for Sydney trainer Anthony Cummings and finished runner-up in the G1 Rosehill Guineas.
He was then purchased by Hong Kong interests and transferred to John Moore’s yard where he has added Group 1 successes in the Hong Kong Mile, Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup and the Champion’s Mile to his record.
He is unbeaten in three outings this preparation, culminating in his G2 Jockey Club Mile win at Sha Tin last Sunday where he broke the track record for a mile.
