The champion Cambridge conditioners prepared Mongolian Khan (NZ) (Holy Roman Emperor {IRE}) for multiple Group 1 wins for the group’s principal Lang Lin, commonly known as Mr Wolf.
At Karaka on Thursday, he outbid Graeme Rogerson to secure Lot 432, a striking son of Savabeel (Zabeel {NZ}) from Dormello Stud’s consignment for NZ$525,000 and the top price of the two-day auction.
“We came here to try and get the best for racing and for breeding and he looks good and very strong.” - Mr Wolf.
“We came here to try and get the best for racing and for breeding and he looks good and very strong,” Mr Wolf said.
Lot 432 showing off his athleticism as he goes through the ring at karaka
“I think he is the best on pedigree. He is a very good quality colt.”
He is out of Disguised (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and is a brother to the dual Group 1 winner Costume (NZ), who was trained by Rogerson.
“I bid NZ$500,000 and was going to go again, but what do you do?” - Graeme Rogerson.
“I bid NZ$500,000 and was going to go again, but what do you do?” he said. “I think he’s a Group 1 horse.”
The colt will now go to Henley Park, Cambridge, for a spell before any plans are made for his racing future.
“He needs to have a break now at Henley, that’s where Mongolian Khan used to go,” Baker said.
Watch: Lot 432 breeze up
First purchase
On Wednesday, Mr Wolf made his only other move at the sale when he paid NZ$240,000 for a son of More Than Ready (USA), Lot 207.
He was consigned by Riversley Park and is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Raziyya Of Sydney, the winner of four races and a half-sister to the G3 Adrian Knox S., winner Crafty Irna (Starcraft {NZ}).
Their dam is the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ S., winner Zirna (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}), who was also a former Singapore Horse of the Year.
Lot 207 More Than Ready x Razziya Of Sydney
Leung exceeds
Willie Leung’s love affair with Exceed And Excel (Danehill {USA}) continued on day two when he bagged another one for NZ$400,000.
Buying under his Magus Equine umbrella, he stayed the trip after spirited bidding to land the colt, Lot 238, offered on the closing day of NZB's Ready to Run Sale by Sam Beatson’s Riversley Park.
“I bought him for owner Michael Chang and he’s a lovely horse, very athletic and he breezed up well,” Leung said.
Watch: Lot 238 breeze up
“The Exceed And Excels are still very popular and I was keen to secure another one. I love them.” - Willie Leung.
“The Exceed And Excels are still very popular and I was keen to secure another one. I love them.”
Leung has enjoyed success at Karaka in the past with the Darley stallion and in 2014 he went to NZ$250,000 for his son Mr Stunning.
He has won 10 times, including the G1 Hong Kong Sprint, the G2 Premier Bowl, the G2 Jockey Club Sprint and the G2 Sprint Cup. He was trained by John Size before transferring to Frankie Lor’s stable.
Leung’s latest acquisition will now head to Cambridge for a break and then we’ll decide who gives him a preparation.
“He’s going to have a spell and he’ll stay here for another 12 months before he goes up to Hong Kong,” he said.
“He looks like a typical Exceed And Excel, he looks very precocious.” – Willie Leung.
“He looks like a typical Exceed And Excel, he looks very precocious.”
The colt is a son of Secret Liaison (Artie Schiller {USA}), who won on six occasions including the Listed Twilight Glow S., and the Listed Lord S.
Lot 238
Family members include the G2 Pago Pago S., winner Deferential (Royal Academy {USA}) and the G2 Silver Shadow S., winner Katima (Zeditave).
The Hong Kong Jockey Club secured the only Zoustar (Northern Meteor), Lot 372, in the auction with Mark Richards signing for the colt at NZ$250,000.
Group 1 family
He was bought out of the draft of Phoenix Park and is a son of Baroness Gabriella (Kempinsky), who is a half-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner Volkstock’n’barrell (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
While Zoustar has a glowing reputation as a provider of source, Richards believed his purchase might be able to match and extend that.
“I would be surprised if he doesn’t get up to a mile,” he said.
Lot 372 Zoustar x Baroness Gabriells
Cracking result
A son of Toronado (IRE) (High Chaparral {IRE}) provided Adrian Stanley and Hannah Kettlety’s Woburn Farm with a royal result when Lot 407 was knocked down to Victorian trainer Richard Laming for NZ$300,000.
He had been purchased out of the Inglis Premier Melbourne Sale draft of Swettenham Stud, who stands the Group 1 winning stallion, for $80,000 by the Cambridge couple.
“It was a great result and everybody’s over the moon,” Swettenham Sales and Nominations Manager Sam Matthews said.
“The amount of action in the ring was testament to the outstanding job Woburn has done with him.” – Sam Matthews.
“The amount of action in the ring was testament to the outstanding job Woburn has done with him.”
Lot 407 Toronado (IRE) x Circus Polka
The colt is out of Circus Polka (Stravinsky {USA}) who is a half-sister to the G1 VRC Derby and G1 Champagne S., winner Prized Icon (More Than Ready {USA}).
Hong Kong trainer Peter Ho was active with two notable purchases.
Double strike
He signed for Kilgravin Lodge’s colt, Lot 232, by Sacred Falls (NZ) and followed up with a final bid of NZ$340,000 for Lot 312, and a son of Dream Ahead (USA) offered by Riversley Park.
The former is out of Savabeel Star (NZ), who is a half-sister to the G3 Hawke’s Bay Guineas winner Stardane (NZ) (Soviet Star {USA}).
The Dream Ahead is a son of Uproot (Lonhro) and the family of the G1 Australia S., winner Strategic (Zeditave).
Successful outcome for Aquis
Aquis Farm weren’t to be denied in their pursuit of a son of the late Hinchinbrook at Karaka on Thursday.
Chief Executive Officer Shane McGrath described Lot 285 as a stand-out of the second session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale and he had the final say with a closing bid of NZ$360,000.
He was offered by the successful Cambridge operation of Mark and Shelley Treweek.
“He was the pick of the colts for us.” - Shane McGrath.
“He was the pick of the colts for us,” McGrath said. “I’ve known Mark and Shelley for a long time and he breezed up in stylish fashion and Mark strongly endorsed him.
Lot 285 Hinchinbrook x Sweet Talkin Woman
“We’ll take him home and put him into our system and find some partners to race him. We’ll allocate a trainer later.”
The colt is out of the More Than Ready (USA) mare Sweet Talkin Woman, who was successful on six occasions and she is a half-sister to the G3 Manawatu Cup winner and G1 Zabeel Classic runner-up Weregoingtogetcha (Testa Rossa).
It is also the family of the Group 1 winners and producers Grosvenor (NZ) (Sir Tristram {IRE}) and Lonhro (Octagonal) and more recently the G1 Australian Derby winner Tavago (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}).
“Finding good sons of proven stallions is our model.” – Shane McGrath.
“There’s limited stock of Hinchinbrook and he’s had another great year,” McGrath said. “Finding good sons of proven stallions is our model.”
Hinchinbrook (Fastnet Rock) won the G2 Skyline S., and was placed at Group 1 level in the William Reid S., and the All Aged S., before his retirement to Yarraman Park Stud.
Tragically, he died after suffering a broken hind leg while on the walking machine at the Hunter Valley farm earlier this year.
The ill-fated Hinchinbrook
Champion sires
A half-brother to champion sire Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice), Hinchinbrook was Australia's champion first-season sire of 2014-15.
He has produced 16 individual stakes winners, including the G1 Caulfield Guineas and G1 JJ Atkins S., winner Press Statement and the G1 Champagne S., winners Seabrook.
Another popular Hinchinbrook was Lot 275, who went to Waterford Bloodstock and Thailand’s K Chittaseni for NZ$280,000.
He was offered by Shane Crawford’s Regal Farm and is out of a half-sister to the G2 Queensland Guineas winner Torio’s Quest (Oratorio {IRE}) with the third dam the G1 VRC Oaks winner Sandy’s Pleasure (Dash O’ Pleasure {USA}).
Sale stats
The aggregate at the end of the sale reached NZ$24,325,500 for 252 horses sold, while the average reached NZ$96,530 and the clearance rate settled at 68 per cent. Overall, results were back on last year’s Australasian record-breaking sale.
“The results have been a little bit disappointing given the results over the last 12 months with the success of Ready to Run Sale graduates in the jurisdictions of Asia and Australia,” New Zealand Bloodstock Managing Director Andrew Seabrook said.
“The late announcement of stakes decreases in Singapore, an increase in Australians buying in Europe in recent months and the status of the New Zealand industry are a few factors that have worked against us.
“In saying that, I was encouraged by the level of investment made by Chinese buyers at the sale.” – Andrew Seabrook.
“In saying that, I was encouraged by the level of investment made by Chinese buyers at the Sale.”
Expatriate New Zealand trainer Stephen Gray said the changing face of Singapore racing had resulted in a decreased presence at Karaka.
“We’re going through a lot changes and no Government support.”
Gray, who has been training in Singapore for the last 18 years, also urged New Zealand to implement the Messara Report to save the industry.
“It they don’t make changes soon it will die.” – Stephen Gray.
“It they don’t make changes soon it will die,” he said. “You’ve got the opportunity and it’s all about prize-money.”
Gray purchased a Stratum (Redoute’s Choice) colt, Lot 345, who is out of a sister to the Group 1 winner and producer Sebring (More Than Ready {USA}) on Thursday out of Riverley Park’s draft for NZ$110,000.
He also matched that price on the first day for a son of Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill {USA}), Lot 152, who is out of a sister to the G1 Australian Derby winner and sire Nom Du Jeu (NZ) (Montjeu {IRE}). He was offered by Windsor Park Stud.
Lot 152
Super Savabeel
Savabeel, who last season made another clean sweep of the New Zealand stallion awards, was the leading sire at the sale by both average (three or more sold) and aggregate at the close of selling.
The Waikato Stud stallion provided the top four lots, and with a total of 11 lots sold achieved an average of NZ$313,182 and an aggregate of NZ$3,445,000.
For the third year in a row, the overall leading buyer was Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis with a total spend of NZ$1,302,500 while the leading vendor by aggregate was Riversley Park, who sold 18 horses for NZ$2,911,000.
The sale aggregate was NZ$24,325,500, down from NZ$31,215,000 last year while the average dropped from NZ$107,638 in 2017 to NZ$96,530. The median fell from NZ$80,000 to NZ$60,000 and the clearance rate was down to 68 per cent from 77 per cent.
