Karaka Day Four: At A Glance
>> International blood heading to Cambridge Stud with purchase of a Frankel filly for $500,000.
>> Hubie de Burgh successful in pursuit of Savabeel colt for Shadwell.
>> Teenager Bailey Rogerson has the final say on well-related son of Tavistock, a half-brother to Gift Of Power.
>> Waikato Stud on top of the selling world again, vindicating their decision to sell all yearlings locally.
>> Te Akau retains buying crown with another massive spend.
Major investment in future
Brendan and Jo Lindsay share a vision for Cambridge Stud and it was in a buying role on the closing day of the Book 1 session that another piece of the jigsaw was slotted into place.
Adding top-quality broodmares is integral to the ongoing success of the farm and, to that end, they cut loose to fend off the opposition and claim Lot 577 for NZ$500,000, a Frankel (GB) filly put forward by Pencarrow Stud.
“We are in a rebuilding phase with Cambridge Stud, so we have to invest some money in the business. This is part of that investment,” Brendan Lindsay said.
Lot 577 Frankel (GB) x Assume (Ire)
“Jo and I enjoy racing horses, but to be able to invest in a Frankel filly that could race here and in Australia is only going to help our business in the long-term.
“We are in a rebuilding phase with Cambridge Stud, so we have to invest some money in the business. This is part of that investment.” – Brendan Lindsay.
“She’ll go into our system. I don’t know who will train her, Henry (Plumptre) will tell me.
“I expected to pay at least that figure for her and to get some Frankel blood is great for the farm. The last horse I purchased from Sir Peter (Vela) was J’Adane.
“She was also foaled in the Northern Hemisphere and brought down here. Maybe the stars are all aligned again.”
Brendan and Jo Lindsay ring-side with Sir Patrick Hogan
A $400,000 yearling buy at Karaka, J’Adane (NZ) (Danehill {USA}) only won one race but she placed at the highest level in the G1 Winter S., the G1 Mudgway S. and in the G1 Kelt Capital S.
J’Adane’s honesty in elite company greatly endeared her to the Lindsays and they vowed on her retirement that they wouldn’t ever sell any of her progeny.
“I expected to pay at least that figure for her and to get some Frankel blood is great for the farm.” – Brendan Lindsay.
They have been true to their words and are now racing with great success her Group 3 winning sons Von Tunzelman (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), Prince Jabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and Sherrif (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}).
Lindsay’s Frankel filly is a daughter of Assume (IRE) (Fastnet Rock) who won a modest event in Ireland and was three times placed at Listed level.
The Lindsays new Frankel filly, Lot 577
She is a half-sister to the stakes winner and Group performer Sandreamer (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and the family of the G2 Rockel S. winner Sayedah (Ire) (Dashaan {GB}) and the G2 Duke Of York S. winner Magical Memory (GB) (Zebedee {GB}).
With the purchase of the Frankel successfully executed, Lindsay was in good spirits and he has been all through the Book 1 Sale.
“As a vendor we’re extremely happy. We’ve been very happy with the prices paid for our horses,” he said. ”It’s been a successful sale.”
Six of the very best
Premier nursery Waikato Stud continues to go from strength to strength and ended the Book 1 session of the National Sale at Karaka as the top vendor for the sixth consecutive year.
With a four-day aggregate of NZ$16,115,000 and an average of NZ$226,971, they were the auction's leaders in both divisions.
The dominant stallion was Savabeel with a top lot of NZ$1.4 million and a sale average of NZ$295,833.
“It’s the effort, family and community we have created is what helps us to do this. You can’t be the best without the best.” – Mark Chittick.
“Savabeel was a very important facet to our sale,” Mark Chittick said. “Our decision to sell 100 per cent here has kept the reputation of our National Sale up, and that is very, very important to me, and to our operation.
“I’m really proud of breaking that million dollar barrier, selling the number one horse – he’s the highest priced horse to be sold here since 2013.
“It’s the effort, family and community we have created is what helps us to do this. You can’t be the best without the best.”
The leading buyer for the 14th year in a row was Te Akau’s David Ellis with 41 purchases totalling NZ$7,825,000 and bloodstock agent Bruce Perry shelling out NZ$2,565,000 on 15 yearlings.
“I take my hat off to New Zealand Bloodstock, it is incredible the job they do year in and year out.” – David Ellis.
“We visited every farm in New Zealand and my wife Karyn and I came to the sale really charged because they were the most athletic bunch of yearlings we have seen for a long time,” he said.
“We put in a lot of research, did a lot of homework and in the end bought off I think 15 different drafts – now we’re looking forward to selling shares in them.
“I take my hat off to New Zealand Bloodstock, it is incredible the job they do year in and year out.”
David Ellis
De Burgh bounces back
Hubie de Burgh was never in the hunt for Monday’s NZ$1.4 million Savabeel colt from Waikato Stud, but he got the next best thing on Wednesday.
He was the successful bidder at NZ$500,000 for a three-quarter brother, Lot 657, from the Matamata nursery.
“If we were looking for a Cox Plate horse then I guess this guy is what he is. He’s really athletic and beautifully balanced, he floats on air,” the international bloodstock agent said.
“He is by this great stallion Savabeel out of an O’Reilly mare and that’s a fantastic cross.
“He’s really athletic and beautifully balanced, he floats on air.” – Hubie de Burgh.
“It’s a great all-up package and from a great stud that just keeps breeding Group 1 winners.
“Hopefully, we are reducing our risk and he is very closely related to the horse that made NZ$1.4 million. We wanted to buy him, but didn’t have the budget.
“This colt is for Sheikh Hamdan and he’ll be going to David Hayes.”
He is out of Cupid (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}), a three-quarter sister to the stakes performer Patrick (NZ) and a half-sister to the G1 Queensland Oaks runner-up Another Dollar (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Richards banking on Sebring
The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Mark Richards is hoping Sebring will again work his magic after he went to NZ$375,000 for Lot 573, a son of the G1 Golden Slipper S. winner.
The colt was offered by Trelawney Stud and is a half-brother to Challa (Dissident), who has placed three times this season including a runner-up finish in the Listed Welcome S.
Lot 573 Sebring x Are There Any
“He’s a cracking sort of horse and we were never going to get him cheaply,” Richards said. “He’s a running type and I liked the way he goes about his business.
“He’s a cracking sort of horse and we were never going to get him cheaply.” – Mark Richards.
“Hopefully, fingers crossed, he can be another Lucky Bubbles for us.”
Lucky Bubbles (Sebring) has won eight races in Hong Kong including the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize and the G2 Premier Bowl. He has also posted a further three Group 1 placings.
Richards’ Karaka purchase is a son of Are There Any (Exceed And Excel), a six-time winner, who is from the family of the winners Yourein (Reset) and Grand Jury (NZ) (Deputy Governor {USA}).
“You’ve got to look for fast horses that can stay the test of time and this colt looks a very sound horse,” Richards said.
Family connections
Te Akau know the family of Lot 651 intimately and David Ellis went to NZ$100,000 to secure the filly.
Her dam Corsage (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) won the Listed Ray Coupland S. and ran third in the G1 Diamond S. in their colours.
She has produced Aotea Lad who was purchased by Ellis last year for NZ$200,000. He has won the G2 Wakefield Challenge S. and finished runner-up in the Karaka Million.
They will be hoping for similar things in the future from his half-sister by Makfi (GB) purchased out of Woburn Farm’s consignment.
Their third dam is the G1 New Zealand S. winner Seamist (NZ) (Beaufort Sea USA}).
Bailey bags her colt
Bailey Rogerson is enjoying an outstanding run with Gift Of Power (NZ) (Power {GB}) and the teenager was back in the market for another member of the family.
The grand-daughter of Graeme Rogerson, who trains in partnership with him and his wife Debbie, signed for Gift Of Power at Karaka in 2016 for NZ$180,000.
The speedster has won 10 races, including the G2 Wakefield Challenge S. and two others at Listed level.
Gift Of Power winning the G2 Wakefield Challenge S.
Rogerson had to dig deeper on Wednesday to secure the half-brother by Tavistock (NZ), Lot 622, from Cambridge Stud’s draft, going to NZ$400,000 to beat off all-comers.
“He looks like he’ll be a little runner, but we’ll let him tell us and we won’t push him.” – Bailey Rogerson.
“I’ve seen him a few times and seen him develop,” she said. “He leans a lot more toward Tavistock than Gift Of Power.
“He looks like he’ll be a little runner, but we’ll let him tell us and we won’t push him.”
The colt is out of the former smart race mare Capital Diamond (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn), winner of the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic and third in the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
Her second dam is the G1 Railway H. winner Diamond Lover (NZ) (Sticks And Stones), a sister to Don Eduardo (NZ) who topped the 2000 sale at NZ$3.6 million.
Sale Statistics
| AGGREGATE | $67,206,500 | $83,549,000 |
| AVERAGE | $137,437 | $155,007 |
| MEDIAN | $100,000 | $110,000 |
| CLEARANCE | 77% | 83% |
| CATALOGUED | 698 | 700 |
| SOLD | 489 | 539 |
Top Lots
| 192 | BR.C | Savabeel / Make a Wish | Waikato Stud | Mr DC Ellis | Te Akau | $1,400,000 |
| 67 | B.C | Redoute's Choice / Griante | Cambridge Stud | Aquis Farm / Bester Bloodstock | Queensland | $800,000 |
| 388 | BR.F | Savabeel / Scintillula | Pencarrow Stud | Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock | Waikato | $800,000 |
| 445 | BB.C | Savabeel / Suavito | Waikato Stud | Mr DC Ellis | Te Akau | $775,000 |
| 90 | Ch.F | Zoustar / Imanana | Cambridge Stud | Godolphin | New South Wales | $600,000 |
| 362 | BR.F | Savabeel / Rush | Waikato Stud | Mr GC Beemsterboer | Netherlands | $525,000 |
| 19 | BR.F | I Am Invincible / Exposed | Little Avondale Stud | de Burgh Equine / Shadwell Stud | Ireland | $500,000 |
| 147 | B.F | Snitzel / Lady Krovanh | Cambridge Stud | Rogerson Bloodstock | Waikato | $500,000 |
| 423 | B.C | Savabeel / Sparkling | Waikato Stud | Stuart Hale & Co (BAFNZ) | Hong Kong | $500,000 |
| 577 | B.F | Frankel / Assume | Pencarrow Stud | Cambridge Stud | Waikato | $500,000 |
| 657 | B.C | Savabeel / Cupid | Waikato Stud | de Burgh Equine / Shadwell Stud | UK | $500,000 |
Leading Purchaser by Aggregate
| Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau) | 41 | $7,825,000 | $190,854 | $1,400,000 | 192 |
| Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Wellington) | 15 | $2,565,000 | $171,000 | $360,000 | 14 |
| Rogerson Bloodstock (Waikato) | 13 | $2,510,000 | $193,077 | $500,000 | 147 |
| Go Racing (Auckland) | 15 | $1,885,000 | $125,667 | $260,000 | 316 |
| de Burgh Equine / Shadwell Stud (Ireland) | 4 | $1,560,000 | $390,000 | $500,000 | 19 |
| Pike Racing (Waikato) | 7 | $1,445,000 | $206,429 | $275,000 | 539 |
| Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock (New South Wales) | 9 | $1,255,000 | $139,444 | $260,000 | 203 |
| Cambridge Stud (Waikato) | 7 | $1,220,000 | $174,286 | $500,000 | 577 |
| Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock (Waikato) | 2 | $1,200,000 | $600,000 | $800,000 | 388 |
| Ciaron Maher Racing (Victoria) | 9 | $1,180,000 | $131,111 | $250,000 | 280 |
Leading Vendor by Aggregate
| Waikato Stud | 71 | $16,115,000 | $226,972 | $1,400,000 | 192 |
| Cambridge Stud | 53 | $7,505,000 | $141,604 | $800,000 | 67 |
| Windsor Park Stud | 31 | $3,005,000 | $96,935 | $230,000 | 146 |
| Haunui Farm | 23 | $2,892,500 | $125,761 | $360,000 | 275 |
| Pencarrow Stud | 14 | $2,800,000 | $200,000 | $800,000 | 388 |
| Westbury Stud | 27 | $2,797,500 | $103,611 | $350,000 | 495 |
| Curraghmore | 16 | $2,785,000 | $174,063 | $370,000 | 345 |
| Little Avondale Stud | 15 | $2,630,000 | $175,333 | $500,000 | 19 |
| Hallmark Stud | 13 | $1,842,000 | $141,692 | $475,000 | 100 |
| Trelawney Stud | 12 | $1,835,000 | $152,917 | $375,000 | 573 |
Leading Vendor by Average (three or more sold)
| Waikato Stud | 71 | $16,115,000 | $226,972 | $1,400,000 | 192 |
| Pencarrow Stud | 14 | $2,800,000 | $200,000 | $800,000 | 388 |
| Goodwood Stud | 3 | $550,000 | $183,333 | $280,000 | 335 |
| Henley Park | 3 | $550,000 | $183,333 | $250,000 | 230 |
| Woburn Farm | 10 | $1,800,000 | $180,000 | $320,000 | 376 |
| Little Avondale Stud | 15 | $2,630,000 | $175,333 | $500,000 | 19 |
| Curraghmore | 16 | $2,785,000 | $174,063 | $370,000 | 345 |
| Beltana | 3 | $510,000 | $170,000 | $300,000 | 271 |
| Trelawney Stud | 12 | $1,835,000 | $152,917 | $375,000 | 573 |
| Koru Thoroughbreds | 9 | $1,320,000 | $146,667 | $290,000 | 74 |
Leading Sire by Average (three or more sold)
| I Am Invincible | 3 | $353,333 | $1,060,000 | $500,000 | 19 |
| Zoustar | 4 | $326,250 | $1,305,000 | $600,000 | 90 |
| Savabeel | 47 | $297,021 | $13,960,000 | $1,400,000 | 192 |
| Sebring | 3 | $241,667 | $725,000 | $375,000 | 573 |
| Teofilo | 3 | $200,000 | $600,000 | $300,000 | 325 |
| More Than Ready | 4 | $195,000 | $780,000 | $240,000 | 114 |
| Pierro | 4 | $179,375 | $717,500 | $260,000 | 348 |
| Pins | 18 | $163,056 | $2,935,000 | $340,000 | 82 |
| Pride of Dubai* | 4 | $160,000 | $640,000 | $220,000 | 246 |
| Vancouver* | 9 | $142,222 | $1,280,000 | $260,000 | 332 |
