Group One Contenders Boost Ready to Run Excitement for Ohukia Lodge

Ohukia Lodge has a proud record and a well-earned reputation as one of the NZB Ready to Run Sale’s top vendors, so they don’t need much in the way of extra publicity – but a pair of Group One contenders over the next two weeks won’t hurt.

As they prepare to offer 21 two-year-olds at Karaka on 18 and 19 November, Ohukia will be represented by Cignetti (NZ) (Super Seth) in this Saturday’s A$3m Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington, then System Of Play (Ole Kirk) in the $700,000 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 14.

They were both members of Ohukia Lodge’s draft at the 2025 Ready to Run Sale, in which Jamie and Chanel Beatson’s operation sold 16 horses for a total of $3.57m and an average price of $222,969.

Cignetti was bought for $220,000 by Busuttin Racing, for whom he has so far earned A$96,150 from a six-race career that has produced a win and four placings. Eye-catching efforts to finish third in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) and Group Three Caulfield Classic (2000m) in his two most recent starts point to him being a genuine Derby contender this weekend.

System Of Play, meanwhile, was a $480,000 purchase by Te Akau Racing’s Sir David Ellis. He has been a highly impressive winner of two of his three starts and is currently the third favourite for the 2000 Guineas in two weeks’ time.

“They’re a couple of quite exciting graduates out of last year’s draft, and we can’t wait to see them step out in Group One races leading into this year’s sale,” Jamie Beatson said. “They were both really nice horses to sell last year. They were both great to do anything with, and they both had a fair bit of attention leading into the sale. It hasn’t been surprising to see them go on to show good ability.”

Last year’s strong results added to an excellent record for Ohukia Lodge at the Ready to Run Sale. They finished second on the vendors’ list by aggregate three times in a row between 2022 and 2024, selling 27 horses for $5.02m in 2022, 22 horses for $5.13m in 2023 and 21 horses for $4.67m in 2024.

Graduates of Ohukia Lodge’s Ready to Run Sale drafts over the years include Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes), Group Two Wellington Guineas (1400m) winner Gold Bracelet (NZ) (Pins), Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and Australian Guineas (1600m) placegetter Planet Red (Admire Mars) and Listed winner Dad And Dave (NZ) (Time Test)

Their class of 2026 is made up of progeny of Hello Youmzain, Savabeel, Ace High, Hellbent, Ardrossan, Toronado, Brave Smash, All Too Hard, Street Boss, Hitotsu, Per Incanto, Super Seth, Pierata, Circus Maximus and The Autumn Sun.

“We’ve got quite a few really nice horses this year,” Beatson said. “It’s a good-sized draft and there’s a wide range of sires. I think there’s a few absolute belters in there, so I’m really looking forward to getting them up to Karaka and seeing what the buyers make of them.

“We were really happy with the way they all went at the Breeze-Ups. They handled it well and couldn’t have gone much better.

“I’m expecting the All Too Hard (Lot 132) to sell really well. He’s probably one of the headline horses in our draft this year.

“But there’s some lovely types by The Autumn Sun (Lot 453), Toronado (Lot 89) and Street Boss (Lot 178), so it’s hard to pick a standout. That’s a good way to be.

“We’ve also got one for Waikato Stud (Lot 45) that’s by Savabeel out of Starvoia (Starcraft), so he’s a full-brother to the Group One winner Skew Wiff (NZ) (Savabeel). He breezed up really well too and you’d think he’d have a fair bit of interest in him.”

The 2026 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from 11am (NZT) on 18 & 19 November.