At A Glance
>> Book 2 concluded with Guy Mulcaster paying the highest price of the session for a Preferment colt
>> Book 2 aggregate was up on 2019, but average was down from NZ$39,606 to NZ$35,012 as was clearance rate (from 73 per cent to 69 per cent) and median (from NZ$30,000 to NZ$25,000)
>> Bruce Perry went to NZ$110,000 for a colt by Tarzino (NZ), which is headed to Australia
>> Trading in a much smaller Book 3 was brisk with an increase on averages from NZ$9994 to NZ$10,583, and a clearance rate of 67 per cent, down from 69 per cent last year. Median was slightly up from NZ$7000 to NZ$7500
>> Hong Kong bloodstock agent Paul Chow secured the top Book 3 lot, paying NZ$65,000 for a colt by Keeper
Mulcaster prefers colt
Mulcaster was the man who purchased Preferment as a yearling at this sale in 2013 and has snapped up three of his first crop this week, two colts and a filly, including Friday's top lot.
"I brought Chris Waller to have a look at a few of them the other day and we bought two,” Mulcaster said.
“He then said we should probably get one more and we have a loyal group of owners who are going to race him together. We bought two beautiful colts and a filly, so we are going to have a bit of fun with them.”
Lot 1097 - Preferment (NZ) x Essayez (colt)
The colt, Lot 1097, is out of three-time winner Essayez (Excellent Art {GB}), from the family of G3 Bonecrusher S. winner Spring Heat (More Than Ready {USA}) and features multiple stakes winner Katima (Zeditave) as his third dam.
Another first season sire, Tarzino sired the second highest-priced yearling of the session with bloodstock agent Bruce Perry going to NZ$110,000 to secure Lot 1058, the colt out of Commands mare Coyote Miss.
1058 - Tarzino (NZ) x Coyote Miss (colt)
“I thought he was a lovely staying-type of horse, very typical of a lot of the old Zabeel-type horses that used to be so good over a bit of ground,” Perry said.
“I am hoping he can develop into one of those one day and be a nice Derby-Cup horse.
“I didn’t go there with any intention of buying one, but he caught my eye when I was looking at some of the second session horses.”
“I didn’t go there with any intention of buying one, but he caught my eye when I was looking at some of the second session horses.” - Bruce Perry
The colt is also headed to Australia and join Mike Moroney's Melbourne-based Ballymore Stables.
Book 2 finished with an average of NZ$35,012 and an aggregate of NZ$9.87 million. The average was down from the NZ$39,606 on last year, but the overall aggregate was slightly up from the NZ$9.743 million of 2019.
Chow's pick tops Book 3
Hong Kong bloodstock agent Paul Chow secured the top lot of Book 3, paying NZ$65,000 for Lot 1167, a Keeper colt out of Lucky Unicorn (NZ) mare Lucky J’Abeel (NZ).
The colt, offered by Platinum Bloodstock, is from a family that goes back to the blue hen Denise's Joy (Seventh Hussar {FR}), who is his fourth dam.
Lot 1167 - Keeper x Lucky J'Abeel (NZ) (colt)
“He was a very nice type,” said Chow, who bought the colt under his Tartan Meadow Bloodstock banner. “He’s correct, athletic, by a proven sire and from a good family. There’s a lot to like about him.
"He is from the Denise’s Joy family. I am actually very surprised to find a pedigree of that class in Book 3, so it’s a no-brainer this horse.”
"He is from the Denise’s Joy family. I am actually very surprised to find a pedigree of that class in Book 3, so it’s a no-brainer this horse.” - Paul Chow
The colt is set to stay in New Zealand for his initial preparation before a likely move to Hong Kong if he shows enough promise.
Lot 1167 - Keeper x Lucky J'Abeel (NZ) (colt)
“He will go to my farm in Cambridge, Kaipira Lodge, where he will be educated there," Chow said. “If he is good enough he will end up in Hong Kong eventually.”
Book 3 saw 66 yearlings sold at an average of NZ$10,583, with an aggregate of NZ$698,500
The Book 3 average was up on the NZ$9994 in 2019, but with a much smaller catalogue (115 compared to 208), the aggregate was down significantly from NZ$1.22 million to NZ$698,500.
Top Lots - 31 January
| 1097 | Preferment | Essayez | Hallmark Stud | Mr CJ Waller / Mulcaster Bloodstock | New South Wales | $120,000 |
| 1058 | Tarzino | Coyote Miss | Jamieson Park | Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | Wellington | $110,000 |
| 1061 | Per Incanto | Cyd Charisse | Little Avondale Stud | The Robt Dawe Agency | Auckland | $80,000 |
| 1070 | Wrote | Desiree | Highview | Burgoyne Bloodstock | Manawatu-Whanganui | $80,000 |
| 1131 | Vespa | Harmonize | Valachi Downs | Wexford Stables / Hughes Bloodstock | Waikato | $75,000 |
| 1129 | Darci Brahma | Hang Seng | Archer Park | Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Ballymore Stables NZ | Waikato | $70,000 |
| 1167 | Keeper | Lucky J'Abeel | Platinum Bloodstock | Tartan Meadow Bloodstock | Hong Kong | $65,000 |
| 1098 | Showcasing | Estelle | Haunui Farm | Mr C Ball / Hughes Bloodstock | Auckland | $60,000 |
| 1090 | Vadamos | Elusive Tracy | Highden Park | Mr C Cole | Waikato | $50,000 |
| 1105 | Proisir | Fairfield Flame | Rich Hill Stud | Mr C Cole | Waikato | $50,000 |
Top buyers by aggregate - Book 3
| Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Ballymore Stables NZ | Waikato | 7 | $181,500 | $25,929 | $70,000 | 1129 |
| Mr C Cole | Waikato | 4 | $185,000 | $46,250 | $50,000 | 1090 |
| Wexford Stables / Hughes Bloodstock | Waikato | 2 | $105,000 | $52,500 | $75,000 | 1131 |
| Mr CJ Waller / Mulcaster Bloodstock | New South Wales | 1 | $120,000 | $120,000 | $120,000 | 1097 |
| Bruce Perry Bloodstock (BAFNZ) | Wellington | 1 | $110,000 | $110,000 | $110,000 | 1058 |
| Tartan Meadow Bloodstock | Hong Kong | 2 | $85,000 | $42,500 | $65,000 | 1167 |
| The Robt Dawe Agency | Auckland | 1 | $80,000 | $80,000 | $80,000 | 1061 |
| Lisa Latta Racing | Auckland | 3 | $78,000 | $26,000 | $36,000 | 1147 |
| Phill Cataldo Bloodstock | Waikato | 4 | $71,000 | $17,750 | $30,000 | 1082 |
| Mr RR Manning | Waikato | 3 | $64,000 | $21,333 | $35,000 | 1089 |
Top vendors by aggregate - Book 3
| Westbury Stud | 15 | $145,500 | $9,700 | $29,000 | 1255 |
| Platinum Bloodstock | 1 | $65,000 | $65,000 | $65,000 | 1167 |
| Highview | 5 | $63,000 | $12,600 | $24,000 | 1165 |
| Haunui Farm | 4 | $51,000 | $12,750 | $22,000 | 1259 |
| Grangewilliam Stud | 4 | $43,000 | $10,750 | $20,000 | 1180 |
| Long Acres Stud | 7 | $43,000 | $6,143 | $20,000 | 1184 |
| Leanach Lodge Ltd | 1 | $38,000 | $38,000 | $38,000 | 1253 |
| Te Aute Stud | 2 | $29,000 | $14,500 | $22,500 | 1174 |
| Advantageous Ventures | 1 | $24,000 | $24,000 | $24,000 | 1204 |
| Brighthill Farm | 2 | $22,500 | $5,625 | $7,000 | 1159 |
Top sires by average (3 or more sold) - Book 3
| El Roca | 6 | $13,750 | $82,500 | $29,000 | 1255 |
| Wrote | 5 | $12,600 | $63,000 | $24,000 | 1165 |
| Telperion | 7 | $10,500 | $73,500 | $22,500 | 1174 |
| The Bold One | 4 | $6,125 | $24,500 | $9,000 | 1230 |
| Redwood | 4 | $6,000 | $24,000 | $10,000 | 1193 |
| Dalghar | 4 | $5,625 | $22,000 | $7,000 | 1159 |
| Verdi | 6 | $3,833 | $23,000 | $5,000 | 1202 |
