Karaka 2008 Online Now
7 December 2007
The catalogue for the first of the big three southern hemisphere yearling sales in 2008, New Zealand Bloodstock's 2008 National Yearling Sales Series, is now online.
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Karaka's week long selling extravaganza will be held from 28 January to 4 February and sees the Karaka Premier Sale offering swell from a catalogue of 459 last year to 494 premium youngsters this year, followed by 659 in the Select Sale and 403 in the two-day Festival Sale.
The bumper crop of 1556 yearlingsare poised to continue the legacy of success, that has seen eight Derby winners in one season, plus an amazing Spring Carnival grand slam with Karaka graduates taking out this year's Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
In addition, over 200 yearlings will be offered at the Carnival Sale during Auckland Cup Week on Friday 7 March.
Added to the sales week this year is the Twilight Race Meeting on Sunday 27 January featuring the inaugural Karaka Million - the one million dollar incentive race for graduates of the 2007 Karaka Sales Series. Race 1 of the six-race card is scheduled to jump at 4:30pm with great Kiwi hospitality and a live band set to give international visitors an impressive welcome to New Zealand.
All graduates of the 2008 National Yearling Sales Series will be eligible to enter for the 2009 running of the Karaka Million with the added bonus of being up for a start in the NZ$200,000 Bonus Race as three-year-olds in 2010.
Following onfrom a record Sales Series earlier this year, and the outstanding success of Kiwi bred horses around the world, this year's Sale has attracted a very strong selection of entries right across the three sales sessions including 26 full or half-siblings to Group 1 winners and 17 from Group 1 winning dams.
A total of 181 sires are represented across the three sales sessions. The Premier Sale boasts a strong selection of local and international sire talent with 17 first-season sires represented including Al Maher (AUS), Bachelor Duke (USA), Charge Forward (AUS), Elvstroem (AUS), Fastnet Rock (AUS), Footstepsinthesand (GB), High Chaparral (IRE), Johar (USA), King's Chapel (AUS), Niello (AUS), Not A Single Doubt (AUS), One Cool Cat (USA), Refuse To Bend (IRE), Savabeel (AUS), Scaredee Cat, Sharmardal (USA) and Tiger Hill (IRE). This year's sale also features the largest line up of Zabeel progeny offered at Karaka in recent years. The full collection of Premier Sale sires is listed below:
| Al Maher (AUS) | 4 | French Deputy (USA) | 3 | Pentire (GB) | 8 |
| Anabaa (USA) | 2 | Fusaichi Pegasus (USA) | 3 | Pins (AUS) | 33 |
| Bachelor Duke (USA) | 5 | Galileo (IRE) | 4 | Red Ransom (USA) | 3 |
| Bertolini (USA) | 1 | General Nediym (AUS) | 4 | Redoute's Choice (AUS) | 5 |
| Black Minnaloushe (USA) | 3 | Giant's Causeway (USA) | 1 | Refuse to Bend (IRE) | 3 |
| Cape Cross (IRE) | 10 | Golan (IRE) | 1 | Reset (AUS) | 2 |
| Captain Rio (GB) | 3 | High Chaparral (IRE) | 27 | Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) | 11 |
| Carnegie (IRE) | 1 | Howbaddouwantit (USA) | 6 | Royal Academy (USA) | 3 |
| Charge Forward (AUS) | 2 | Hussonet (USA) | 4 | Savabeel (AUS) | 40 |
| Choisir (AUS) | 5 | Iglesia (AUS) | 2 | Scaredee Cat | 2 |
| Danasinga (AUS) | 1 | Ishiguru (USA) | 2 | Shamardal (USA) | 2 |
| Danehill Dancer (IRE) | 5 | Johannesburg (USA) | 1 | Spartacus (IRE) | 6 |
| Danzero (AUS) | 6 | Johar (USA) | 23 | Stravinsky (USA) | 20 |
| Dehere (USA) | 1 | Jungle Pocket (JPN) | 3 | Street Cry (IRE) | 1 |
| Don Eduardo | 2 | Keeper (AUS) | 9 | Tale of the Cat (USA) | 2 |
| Dubai Destination (USA) | 4 | King's Chapel (AUS) | 3 | Testa Rossa (AUS) | 1 |
| Elusive City (USA) | 2 | Lonhro (AUS) | 1 | Thorn Park (AUS) | 18 |
| Elusive Quality (USA) | 1 | More Than Ready (USA) | 1 | Tiger Hill (IRE) | 3 |
| Elvstroem (AUS) | 5 | Mossman (AUS) | 2 | Towkay (AUS) | 4 |
| Encosta de Lago (AUS) | 19 | Niello (AUS) | 1 | Traditionally (USA) | 1 |
| Exceed and Excel (AUS) | 4 | No Excuse Needed (GB) | 8 | Van Nistelrooy (USA) | 3 |
| Faltaat (USA) | 3 | Not a Single Doubt (AUS) | 1 | Viking Ruler (AUS) | 2 |
| Fastnet Rock (AUS) | 12 | Oasis Dream (GB) | 1 | Volksraad (GB) | 10 |
| Flying Spur (AUS) | 8 | One Cool Cat (USA) | 31 | Zabeel | 47 |
| Footstepsinthesand (GB) | 3 | O'Reilly | 10 |
The dates for the 82nd National Yearling Sales Series are as follows:
Premier Sale: 28 & 29 January
Select Sale: 30 & 31 January & 1 February
Festival Sale: 3 & 4 February
Carnival Sale: 7 March