Month: March 2022

Strong demand for quality lots concluded Day Two of Book 1 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 96th National Yearling Sales Series. The second day of trading at Karaka 2022 saw a further 220 yearlings catalogued. The aggregate increased 19% on last year’s combined Book 1 results at the end of Day Two, while the average was up 17%, an increase to $146,415. Distinguished breeder Gordon Cunningham of Curraghmore was responsible for providing the highest price of Day Two with Lot 410, a full sister to Group One-winning racemare Unforgotten (NZ). The…

Rob Blacker trained stayer Tigertiger (NZ) (Zed) will be looking to give the Mornington based trainer the biggest win of his career when he lines up in Monday’s Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m). The New Zealand bred 6yo gelding has come a long way since moving to the Blacker yard in September, breaking his maiden at Mornington by 5.8L last October before rising through the grades to win the Listed Bagot Handicap at Flemington on New Year’s Day. Behind him that day was 2021 Adelaide Cup winner Good Idea, and the race…

An elevated temperature causing Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) to miss a lead-up race will not dent the gallopers attempt at the Australian Cup. The former New Zealand galloper missed out on starting in the Gr.2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on February 26 with an elevated temperature that his trainer Danny O’Brien said was minor. With that news, O’Brien is pushing ahead to the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday. Callsign Mav has only had the two starts in Australia. He was brought across to Australia by…

Te Akau principal David Ellis has bought plenty of quality fillies at Karaka over the years, so it was a bold statement when he labelled lot 410, the Fastnet Rock full-sister to Group One winner Unforgotten, as the best filly he has seen at New Zealand Bloodstock’s sales venue in a decade. “I have been coming and buying yearlings here since 1988 and definitely in the last five to 10 years I haven’t seen a filly of more quality or athleticism, and we were determined to buy her at any…

The pairing that bought last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock) went back to the Karaka well on Tuesday to try and replicate their success. Bloodstock agent Bruce Perry went to $450,000 to secure Asterix out of Curraghmore’s 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft for owner Sam Kelt and struck gold in the $1 million feature at Ellerslie on the weekend. Buoyed by that success, the pair went back to Karaka this week to try and find their next Derby contender and landed…

There were smiles, handshakes and even a few tears of joy on the afternoon of the second day of the National Yearling Sale at Karaka when a pair of South Island breeding operations struck gold with youngsters from their respective drafts. North Canterbury-based Beaufort Downs is an up and comer at Karaka, with this the fourth year they have presented a draft of yearlings and it was Lot 299, a No Nay Never colt from European mare Highly Valued that provided them with the highest price they have achieved at…

Fresh from their stunning Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) triumph at Ellerslie on Saturday, Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were back in the limelight at Karaka on Tuesday. The pair purchased three individuals on the first day of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale and midway through the second day of selling had added two more youngsters to their haul including Lot 303, the US Navy Flag colt out of Fastnet Rock mare Honfleur from the Valachi Downs draft. The colt comes from a stellar extended family that includes…