KARAKA 2005: Sensational Finish to Premier Sale

It has been a spectacular end to the Premier Sale at Karaka this week, with the sale aggregate, average and median all smashing sale records.

Leading into the Sale the world thoroughbred market had its eye on the largest of the last southern crop of Danehills yearlings to go under the hammer, and the super-sire didn't disappoint. Danehill was responsible for five of the top seven lots, and it was no surprise that he topped the sires list with a total of sixteen yearlings sold for an average of NZ$528,438 and aggregate of NZ$8,455,000.

The star of the show was Lot 385, a stand-out filly by Danehill from Encens (Common Grounds), purchased for NZ$1,300,000 by Adrian Nicoll of BBA Ireland in a bidding war against Irish agent, Demi O'Byrne. This is the first filly to top the sale at Karaka since 2001 when Shower of Roses (Zabeel x Marquise) was sold for $1,450,000. Nicoll plans to send the filly to successful Hong Kong trainer, David Hayes, and says he has already found several owners in both the northern and southern hemisphere to join a syndicate to race her.

But the Sale was not just about Danehill. Remarkably 84 of the 389 lots sold realised NZ$200,000 or more, where only 45 reached that mark last year. The sale median was $90,000, a 24% increase from 2004 showing huge growth in the all-important middle market. The aggregate was NZ$53,446,500, an impressive 20% increase from 2004's aggregate of NZ$44,685,000, and a record aggregate for the number of lots sold.

Also record-breaking was the sale average of NZ$137,395 - a 23% increase from last year's final Premier Sale average of NZ$111,955.

This year boldly demonstrated that New Zealand can attract the biggest buyers from around the world. With prominent agents such as Adrian Nicoll, Angus Gold, Demi O'Byrne, Hubie de Burgh, Grant Pritchard-Gordon, Kieran Moore, John Foote, plus trainers David Hayes, Gai Waterhouse, Lee Freedman, John O'Shea, Bart Cummings, all present and active ringside, was a great credit to the quality of the bloodstock that this year's vendors were offering.

The leading buyer by aggregate for the third consecutive year was trans-Tasman trainer, Graeme Rogerson, who purchased 27 yearlings for NZ$5,565,000. His top lot was Lot 320, a colt by first southern crop sire, Giant's Causeway, from the regally-bred mare, Champagne, purchased for $875,000. Rogerson also purchased three of the 18 Danehill yearlings offered.

Second leading buyer by aggregate was prominent Irish agent, Adrian Nicoll, who, in addition to the top lot, purchased a total of eight yearlings for NZ$3,375,000 including two other Danehill fillies.

Third top buyer was prominent New Zealand buyer, David Ellis, of Te Akau Stables, who purchased the top lot of day two, a Danehill colt from Beyond the Sunset (Gone West) for NZ$1,050,000. Ellis purchased the top lot at last year's Premier Sale, a Danehill colt out of Grand Echezeaux (Zabeel) from the family of Melbourne and Caulfield Cups winner, Ethereal. The colt, Darci Brahma, set the right tone for the week for Ellis and business partner, Mark Walker, when he had an impressive win on debut on Monday.

Ellis commented, "I was thrilled to be able to secure such a lovely Danehill colt as the Beyond the Sunset that we purchased yesterday, together with the other exciting purchases we have made at Karaka over the past few days. This is easily the most well-run Sale that I've been to anywhere in the world and I look forward to the day when all New Zealand yearlings are presented here."

With nine Danehills consigned by Peter and Philip Vela's Pencarrow Stud, they easily captured the Top Vendor by Average spot, with 17 yearlings sold for an average of $373,235. Next leading vendor was Ascot Farm with 9 sold for an average of $305,833.

Sir Patrick Hogan's, Cambridge Stud, achieved the highest vendor aggregate for the 24th consecutive year with 45 yearlings sold for a total of NZ$8,697,500, over a million dollars more than last year for fewer yearlings sold.

New Zealand Bloodstock's Marketing & PR Manager, Petrea Vela, summed up the results of the Sale: "While market indicators pointed to promising results leading in to the Sale, this has well and truly exceeded all our expectations. There was high demand for top quality yearlings plus the record median of $90,000, meaning that more than half the yearlings in the sale fetched that amount, shows growth right throughout the middle of the market. Most importantly, with the huge increase in aggregate it means there more money going back to the vendors.

"We were thrilled to have some of the world's most prominent buyers from England, Ireland, Australia and Hong Kong here at Karaka, and it was just as pleasing to see the New Zealand buyers show a significant presence over the past few days. To have a New Zealand buyer finish up as the leading buyer at a sale as strong as this is extremely encouraging for the entire industry, and to have two New Zealanders in the top three individual buyers is fantastic."

"These results bode well for our Select and Festival Sales over the coming days, and we hope to see the momentum continue into these sales sessions."

The National Yearling Sales continue today with the first day of the Select Sale starting at Karaka at 11am and concluding on Friday 4th February. The Festival Sale will be conducted on 6th & 7th February. A full list of results, including selling history, can be viewed online at www.nzb.co.nz.

OVERALL STATISTICS - 2005 PREMIER SALE

OVERALL PREMIER SALE AVERAGE = $137,395
23% increase from 2004
2004 Final Premier Sale average = $111,955

AGGREGATE = $53,446,500
2004 Aggregate = $44,685,000

PREMIER LOTS CATALOGUED = 522
2004 Lots Catalogued = 515

LOTS SOLD = 389
2004 Lots Sold = 403

CLEARANCE RATE = 82%
2004 Final Premier Sale Clearance rate = 83%

MEDIAN = $90,000
24% increase from 2004
2004 Median = $72,500

TOP PRICE = $1,300,000 Danehill x Encens filly (Lot 385)
2004 Top Price = $1,100,000 Danehill x Grand Echezeaux colt (Lot 159)

TOP 10 LOTS

LOT�	BREEDING�	�VENDOR	�PURCHASER	�PRICE
�385	DANEHILL x ENCENS	Pencarrow Stud	BBA Ireland	�$1,300,000
�295	DANEHILL x BEYOND THE SUNSET	Pencarrow Stud	Mr D C Ellis	�$1,050,000
�13	ZABEEL X MARQUISE	Cambridge Stud	NZB as agent	�$950,000
�320	GIANT'S CAUSEWAY x CHAMPAGNE	Cambridge Stud	Rogerson� loodstock	�$875,000
�401	DANEHILL x FERN	Ascot Farm	Mr R R McAnulty	�$700,000
�5	DANEHILL x MAGICAL MOMENT	Ascot Farm	BBA Ireland	�$600,000
�353	DANEHILL x DANCE MY DANCE	Pencarrow Stud	BBA Ireland	�$575,000
�362	VISCOUNT x DIAMOND HABIT	Cambridge Stud	Mr R R McAnulty	�$550,000
�311	FUSAICHI PEGASUS x CANNSEA	�Whakanui Stud	Coolmore Australia	�$540,000
�292	GIANT'S CAUSEWAY x BESPOKEN	Curraghmore Stud	Robert Roulston	�$500,000

LEADING SIRES BY AVERAGE (3 or more sold)
1ST = Danehill 16 sold for average $528,438
2ND = Giant's Causeway 6 sold for average $407,500
3RD = Fusaichi Pegasus 4 sold for average $293,750
4TH = Zabeel 29 sold for average $248,966
5TH = Catbird 4 sold for average $186,667

LEADING 1ST CROP SIRES BY AVERAGE (3 or more sold)
1ST = Giant's Causeway 6 sold for average $407,500
2ND = Galileo 3 sold for average $169,167
3RD = Viscount 7 sold for average $140,357
4TH = Keeper 16 sold for average $120,469
5TH = Fantastic Light 10 sold for average $101,000

LEADING BUYERS BY AGGREGATE
1ST = Rogerson Bloodstock 27 Lots $5,565,000
2ND = BBA Ireland 8 Lots $3,375,000
3RD = Mr D C Ellis 28 Lots $2,818,500
4TH = Kieran Moore Bloodstock 10 Lots $1,570,000
5TH = Paul Moroney Bloodstock 13 Lots $1,557,500

LEADING VENDORS BY AGGREGATE
1ST = Cambridge Stud 45 Lots $8,697,500
2ND = Pencarrow Stud 17 Lots $6,345,000
3RD = Windsor Park Stud 45Lots $5,707,500
4TH = Curraghmore Stud 21Lots $4,290,000
5TH = Trelawney Stud 29 Lots $3,410,000

LEADING VENDORS BY AVERAGE (3 or more sold)
1ST = Pencarrow Stud 17 Lots $373,235
2ND = Ascot Farm 9 Lots $305,833
3RD = Whakanui Stud 7 Lots $224,286
4TH = Curraghmore Stud 21 Lots $204,286
5TH = Cambridge Stud 45 Lots $193,278