Curraghmore has Quality Offering at NZB Weanling & Broodmare Sale

The leading vendor at the New Zealand Bloodstock weanling sale for the past four years, Curraghmore Stud is confident it has another crop of quality youngsters for buyers at New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling & Broodmare Sale in just under two weeks' time.

The vendor of the high profile graduate Sousa, this Sale has become a key fixture on Curraghmore Stud's auction calendar with Gordon Cunningham's operation flying the flag for the Sale both in the ring and on the racetrack.

"With the number of mares our clients are now breeding from it's never been possible to present our complete foal crops as yearlings," Cunningham said.

"Curraghmore has always considered the weanling sale to be a very positive trading option. It generates immediate cash flow as opposed to waiting 10 months to get a return from the yearling sales."

Curraghmore has consistently been a leading selling force at Karaka sales for many years and expectations are again high for the upcoming weanling auction.

"We've got another strong draft on paper and several of these weanlings are very good types with the looks to match their pedigrees," Cunningham said.

"The Encosta de Lago colt out of the Danehill mare Breeze Hill (Lot 300) is a very good type as is the Zabeel filly from the G.2 winner Primera Dama (Lot 125)."

Curraghmore's draft further includes youngsters by Darci Brahma, Holy Roman Emperor, Keeper, Perfectly Ready, Thorn Park and Tale of the Cat.

"We're also excited to be offering the first weanlings by Any Suggestion. They're mature and�strong types," Cunningham said.

Any Suggestion was a brilliantly fast Group One performed Australian sprinter who won nine times up to 1200 metres. Curraghmore is a significant shareholder in the son of Lion Hunter who has been well-received by breeders at Rich Hill Stud.

His career-best effort was to finish runner-up to the then world's top-ranked short course performer Miss Andretti in the G.1 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Selling the sale-topping Sousa in 2006, the son of Galileo has gone on to be their highest profile graduate at the weanling sale.

"Sousa was purchased by Mark and Shelley Treweek of Lyndhurst Farm who sold him in Sydney for A$420,000 to John Hawkes. He was a very good example of a horse with a pedigree that would also have been well-placed at the yearling sale," Cunningham said.

Sousa has subsequently won the G.1 Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick, the G.3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle and was narrowly beaten in G.1 Rosehill Guineas.

"The Treweeks have successfully pinhooked a number of weanlings from us over the years and continue to come back," Cunningham said.

"We like to see that and it's important for people who buy from us to have plenty of luck and make good returns - that's what the game is all about."

The current season has been another outstanding one�for Curraghmore with graduates Efficient (Gr. 1 Turnbull Stakes), Trusting (Gr. 2 Warwick Stakes, Gr. 1 Golden Rose runner-up), Velocitea (Gr. 3 How Now Stakes, Gr. 3 Belmaine Stakes, Gr. 1 Robert Sangster Stakes runner-up), Hanks (Gr. 2 AAMI Vase), The Embassy (Gr. 3 Randwick City Stakes) and pre-post Gr 1 WATC Derby favourite Bridgestone (Listed Roberts Stakes) all making their mark across the Tasman.

Further afield in Hong Kong, Amigo (who was unbeaten in one start in New Zealand as Kabalevsky) has progressed rapidly through the grades with four wins and is now considered a serious Group race contender.

"While it's always good to achieve big prices in the sale ring I've always said it's even more important for our horses to perform at the highest level on the racetrack," Cunningham said.

Click here to view the full catalogue for New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale at Karaka on 3-5 May 2010.