May Sale Entries Close Tomorrow

Entries for New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale - also featuring the Horses-in-Training session - close tomorrow Friday 9 March.

Last year the three-day May Sale attracted 837 entries and saw strong demand for horses right across the Sale with a strong clearance rate of 81% - holding up well compared to the Sale's four-year clearance average of 83%.

With 370 weanlings catalogued last year, the 2011 weanling session saw solid demand for weanlings from a buying bench that had good representation from across Australasia. The result was an increase of 15% on 2010's average weanling price, with the half-brother to the multiple Group 1 winner Sir Slick topping the session when knocked down for $175,000.

The inaugural Horses-in-Training session was held at the 2011 Sale and proved a great opportunity for highly profitable returns for horses that have trialled, raced or breezed up in the current season. No age limit will apply for entries for these entries again this year.

The dedicated session last year attracted a strong local and international buying bench, with the Group 3 winning Thorn Park mare Glamorous Girl topping the session when knocked down to Marcus Corban Bloodstock for $180,000.

The Horses-in-Training session saw two other entries sell for six figure sums with Phill Cataldo going to $100,000 to secure the trial winning Dubawi gelding Isle of Iran, and Bruce Perry also paying $100,000 for the five-time winner and Group 3 placed mare Catalina (Faltaat).

Video footage of each Horses-in-Training entry racing, trialling or breezing must be available for presentation on NZB's website and nominated at the time of entry. The footage can be of the horse's best performance and does not have to be from the current season.

Last year's May Sale saw 297 broodmares catalogued with the session boasting a clearance rate of 79%.

With a number of attractive entries sold, the dam of the Singapore star Mexican Rose, the Gone West mare Down View, and the Royal Academy mare Royal Ambition, both topped the Broodmare Session being purchased by local buyers for $85,000 each.

The May Sale will also offer yearlings, two-year-olds, unraced horses, racehorses and stallion shares. Last year saw a share in New Zealand's Champion First Season Sire Perfectly Ready purchased by Nearco Stud for $35,000.

Costs for entering horses in New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale are $650 + GST for entries in the Horses-in-Training Session and $500 + GST for all other entries.

For more information on New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale, which will be held from 7-9 May, please visit http://www.nzb.co.nz/ or contact Entries co-ordinator Mary-Jane Harvey on 09 298 0055.