Overseas Stars Add International Flavour to Karaka 2026 Stallion Line-Up

In addition to the strong representation for New Zealand’s own stallions, the high-quality and diverse catalogues for Karaka 2026 also feature some of the biggest names from Australia and further afield.

 

SO YOU THINK

There could be no more appropriate starting point for this stallion breakdown than the Australian-based titan So You Think (NZ), who himself went through the Karaka sale ring during the 2008 Premier Sale. He was bought for $110,000 by Duncan Ramage on behalf of legendary trainer Bart Cummings.

So You Think went on to have 23 starts for 14 wins, five placings and more than $9m in prize-money. He won 10 Group One races, five in each hemisphere – two editions of the Cox Plate (2040m) and Tattersalls Gold Cup (2100m), along with the Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), Underwood Stakes (1800m), Caulfield Stakes (2000m), Eclipse Stakes (2000m), Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (2000m) and Irish Champion Stakes (2000m).

So You Think retired to Coolmore Stud, where he has sired 779 winners from 1142 runners with 66 black-type winners – a dozen of them at Group One level.

So You Think sadly died in October at the age of 18. With limited chances remaining to secure his progeny, buyers will have access to 13 of them in Book 1.

 

ALL TOO HARD

All Too Hard is another stallion who has been a star both on the racetrack and at stud. The half-brother to the legendary Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) won the Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Futurity Stakes (1400m), CF Orr Stakes (1400m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m) and placed in the Group One Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Cox Plate (2040m). He is the sire of 564 winners from 837 runners, with 31 stakes winners including Group One stars like Alligator Blood, Stefi Magnetica, Behemoth and Wellington. All Too Hard has three colts catalogued for Book 1.

 

DUNDEEL

New Zealand-bred star Dundeel (NZ) was New Zealand Horse of the Year in 2013-14 and won 10 races including the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), Randwick Guineas (1600m), Rosehill Guineas (2000m), Australian Derby (2400m), Underwood Stakes (1800m) and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). He has reached similar heights at stud, with 487 winners from 724 runners. His 39 individual stakes winners include nine at Group One level. He is also making his mark as a sire of sires, with the likes of Super Seth and Castelvecchio. Dundeel has four yearlings in Book 1 and one in Book 2.

 

FRANKEL

It is difficult to find words to adequately describe the legendary racetrack career of Frankel. He was a dazzling winner of all of his 14 starts, 10 of them at Group One level and almost all of them breathtakingly dominant. His Timeform rating of 147 was the highest in history. He now commands a service fee of £350,000 in the UK and has established himself as one of the world’s finest sires.

Frankel boasts 171 stakes winners among a total of 725 winners from 1025 runners, and he has sired 40 Group One winners.

Frankel’s three winners from just six runners in New Zealand include the two-year-old Te Encuentro, who made a huge impression with her debut victory at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Frankel has had four previous yearlings go through the Karaka sale ring, selling for up to $1.3m, and he has one colt catalogued for Book 1.

 

GUN RUNNER

American phenomenon Gun Runner stands for a service fee of US$250,000 and is the sire of 316 winners from 453 runners including 51 at stakes level. He has been represented by a dozen Grade One winners, headed by the Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m) champion Sierra Leone. Cambridge Stud will offer a colt by Gun Runner as Lot 55 during Book 1  – the first of Gun Runner’s progeny to ever go through the ring in New Zealand.

 

HARRY ANGEL

Darley’s Group One-winning sprinter turned shuttle stallion Harry Angel has been a revelation in Australia, where his 150 runners have produced 105 winners including Group One winners Tom Kitten, War Machine and Private Harry along with fellow Group winners Arkansaw Kid, Angel Capital, Stretan Angel and Watchme Win. Harry Angel’s progeny have been highly sought after at the Ready to Run Sale, where they have fetched $520,000, $425,000, $400,000 and $375,000 in the last two years. Harry Angel has four yearlings in Book 1.

 

JUSTIFY 

American Triple Crown champion Justify has become one of the biggest names on the global stallion landscape and stands for a US$200,000 service fee at Coolmore. He has 54 individual stakes winners to his name among a total of 353 winners from 572 runners. His standout progeny include the 2024 European Horse of the Year and four-time Group One winner City Of Troy, who himself served his first book of Australian mares in 2025 at an introductory service fee of A$49,500.

Stakes-performed Justify progeny that have gone through the Karaka sale ring include Lilac, Star Of Justice and Bourbon Proof. Seven yearlings by Justify are catalogued for Book 1.

 

MAURICE

A Group One winner in Japan and Hong Kong, Maurice has gone on to be an influential stallion both in Japan and shuttling to Arrowfield Stud in Australia. Arion Pedigrees statistics credit Maurice with 583 winners from 908 runners, with 34 individual stakes winners. His 11 stakes winners in Australia include the dual Derby winner Hitotsu as well as high-class sprinter Mazu, which shows the versatility of the sire. Maurice has five yearlings in the catalogue for Book 1.

 

NO NAY NEVER

Coolmore’s No Nay Never has had a global impact, siring Group or Grade One winners in the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, Australia and Chile. The best-performed of his progeny is the quadruple Group One winner Alcohol Free, while notable names in our part of the world include Thousand Guineas (1600m) Madame Pommery, three-time Group winner Need I Say More and former shuttle stallion Ten Sovereigns.

No Nay Never’s progeny have sold for up to $280,000 as yearlings and $520,000 at the Ready to Run Sale. He will be represented by three yearlings  – one in Book 1 and two in Book 2.

 

PIERRO 

A top-class racehorse who won 11 of his 14 starts including the Group One Golden Slipper (1200m), Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Champagne Stakes (1600m), George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and Canterbury Stakes (1300m), along with placings in the Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Cox Plate (2040m) and Doncaster (1600m), Pierro has followed up those racetrack exploits with a highly successful stallion career at Coolmore.

Pierro is the sire of 552 winners from 771 runners. His 40 stakes winners include Arcadia Queen, Regal Power, Shadow Hero, Pierata, Levendi and Pinot at Group One level. Tulip, who came from his first crop, was a $400,000 purchase from Karaka 2016 and won more than A$1m with two Group Three wins and a Golden Slipper placing. Pierro yearlings have sold for up to $900,000 at Karaka. He will be represented by three yearlings in Book 1 and one in Book 2.

 

PINATUBO

Godolphin’s Pinatubo was one of the greatest two-year-olds seen in Europe in many years, with a perfect six-from-six record including the Group One National Stakes (1400m) and Dewhurst Stakes (1400m). That incredible juvenile season earned him a Timeform rating of 134. He went on to add the Group One Prix Jean Prat (1400m) as a three-year-old, along with placings in the Group One 2000 Guineas (1600m), St James’s Palace Stakes (1600m) and Prix du Moulin (1600m).

With his oldest Australian progeny now three-year-olds, Pinatubo has started strongly at stud with 72 winners from 142 runners and five stakes winners.

Pinatubo yearlings sold for up to $230,000 at Karaka 2025 last year, and he has one filly in the catalogue for Book 1.

 

PRIDE OF DUBAI

The racetrack career of Pride Of Dubai was brief but memorable, producing two wins from five starts including the Group One Blue Diamond (1200m) and Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). It has been at stud that the son of Street Cry has had a more enduring impact.

Pride Of Dubai is the sire of 334 winners from 552 runners. He has been credited with 23 individual stakes winners, headed by two mares who have earned more than A$30m between them – Pride Of Jenni and Bella Nipotina.

Pride Of Jenni was Australian Horse of the Year in 2023-24 and has earned more than A$11.4m with four electrifying front-running Group One triumphs between 1600 and 2000 metres. Bella Nipotina was an extraordinary sprinter and banked A$22m, with Group One victories in The Everest (1200m), Manikato Stakes (1200m), Doomben 10,000 and Tattersalls Tiara (1400m). Pride Of Dubai’s other Group One-winning progeny are the globe-trotting Dubai Honour, the Might And Power Stakes (2000m) winner Deny Knowledge and the Karaka graduate Desert Lightning (NZ).

Pride Of Dubai yearlings have sold for up to $275,000 at Karaka, and two of his progeny will go through the ring during Karaka 2026 – one each in Book 1 and Book 2.

 

ST MARK’S BASILICA

Europe’s 2021 Horse of the Year St Mark’s Basilica had nine starts for six wins and two placings, with five Group One victories. He won the Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) as a two-year-old, then had four starts as a three-year-old for four Group One wins – the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (1600m), the Prix du Jockey Club (2100m), the Eclipse Stakes (2000m) and the Irish Champion Stakes (2000m).

St Mark’s Basilica shuttles between Coolmore’s Irish and Australian operations, and his oldest Australian progeny are two-year-olds and have already produced a winner. His first northern hemisphere crop of two-year-olds produced 23 winners from 68 runners, with Group One winner Diamond Necklace backed up by two other stakes winners.

St Mark’s Basilica was the leading first-season sire at Karaka 2025, where he had nine yearlings sell for an average of $210,000 with a top price of $360,000. He has two yearlings catalogued for Book 1.

 

SNITZEL

The death of Snitzel in June, at the age of 22, brought an end to one of Australia’s great stallion careers.

The son of fellow super-sire Redoute’s Choice has been a four-time champion Australian sire and five-time champion sire of two-year-olds. Snitzel boasts a total of 1331 winners from 1693 runners, with 165 stakes winners and 24 individual Group One winners. His standout progeny include the likes of Trapeze Artist, Redzel, Lady Shenandoah, Russian Revolution, Shamus Award, Sword Of State, Return To Conquer, Marhoona and Shinzo. Several of his sons are now carrying on this great lineage, such as Shamus Award, Russian Revolution, Trapeze Artist and the emerging talents Sword Of State and In The Congo.

Snitzel yearlings have averaged more than $400,000 at Karaka over the last five years, and his progeny have sold for up to $825,000 in this sale ring.

Three of his progeny will go through the ring during Book 1, including Lot 265 – a colt out of the Group One-winning Karaka graduate Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel).

 

THE AUTUMN SUN

It was a full-circle moment when The Autumn Sun retired to Arrowfield Stud in 2019, with the son of legendary Arrowfield stallion Redoute’s Choice having been bred by the famous operation four years earlier.

The Autumn Sun was a superstar racehorse who won eight of his nine starts, including the Group One JJ Atkins (1600m), Golden Rose (1400m), Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Randwick Guineas (1600m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m).

His stud career has quickly brought more of the same. The Autumn Sun is the sire of 125 winners from 206 runners, with 10 stakes winners including the exceptional Autumn Glow – winner of all of her eight starts including the Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m) and A$10m Golden Eagle (1500m) this spring. Autumn Boy followed his father’s footsteps to win this season’s Caulfield Guineas, while Autumn Angel, Coco Sun and Vibrant Sun have all also won at Group One level.

The Autumn Sun’s progeny have sold for up to $900,000 at Karaka. He will be represented by three yearlings at Karaka 2026, all of them in Book 1.

 

TOO DARN HOT

Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot was Europe’s champion two-year-old colt in 2018 and champion three-year-old colt in 2019, winning six of his nine starts including the Group One Dewhurst Stakes (1400m), Prix Jean Prat (1400m) and Sussex Stakes (1600m).

He has gone on to make a major impact at stud with 252 winners from 418 runners including 31 at black-type level. His four Group One winners include the four-time elite winner and stallion prospect Broadsiding, along with five-time Group One winner Fallen Angel. Too Darn Hot’s Australian progeny have produced 14 individual stakes winners among a total of 89 winners from 137 runners.

Too Darn Hot had six yearlings sell for an average of $254,167 at Karaka 2025, and his progeny have fetched up to $750,000 here.

Five yearlings by Too Darn Hot are catalogued for Karaka 2026, all of them in Book 1.

 

TORONADO

Toronado initially shuttled to Australia for a A$22,000 service fee at the completion of a 12-race career that produced six wins including the Group One Sussex Stakes (1600m) and Queen Anne Stakes (1600m). That fee has risen to A$88,000 through a decade at stud that has seen him represented by 733 winners from 1107 runners including 46 stakes winners. He is the sire of Group/Grade One winners Tribhuvan, Bois D’Argent, Masked Crusader, Mariamia, Shelby Sixtysix and Victor The Winner.

From only 13 runners in New Zealand, Toronado is the sire of seven winners including The Intimidator, a classy three-year-old in the 2022-23 season who won the Listed Mufhasa Stakes (1400m) and ran fifth in the $1m Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and Group One Levin Classic (1600m) before being sold to Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, Toronado has sired 30 winners from 57 runners with three at stakes level.

Toronado averaged $195,000 from five yearlings sold during Karaka 2025, and his progeny at Karaka have sold for up to $350,000 as yearlings and $625,000 at the Ready to Run Sale.

Eight yearlings by Toronado are in the catalogue for Book 1.

 

WOOTTON BASSETT

Wootton Bassett was initially best known in this part of the world for the deeds of his first-crop son Almanzor, who won three Group Ones before becoming a headline stallion at Cambridge Stud. But that proved to be just the beginning for a stallion who later relocated to Coolmore and became a megastar.

Wootton Bassett was standing for a service fee of A$385,000 at Coolmore in the spring of 2025 until his untimely death in September at the age of 17. After serving as few as 18 mares in the early days of his career, he soared to books of 132, 207, 123, 193 and 104 in his most recent shuttling between Ireland and Australia.

He is the sire of 500 winners from 871 runners. His 76 stakes winners include 19 at Group One level, such as last season’s top-class European three-year-olds Whirl, Henri Matisse, Camile Pissarro, Maranoa Charlie, Tennessee Stud and Sahlan.

Wootton Bassett was leading sire by average at Karaka 2025, with nine yearlings selling for an average price of $361,667. They have sold for up to $800,000 in this sale ring.

Three yearlings by the late, great Wootton Bassett are set to go through the ring during Book 1 of Karaka 2026.

 

ZOUSTAR

Group One Golden Rose (1400m) and Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) winner Zoustar stands at Widden Stud for a fee of A$275,000. He is the sire of 790 winners from 1140 runners. Among his 75 stakes winners are Group One stars Sunlight, Zougotcha, Joliestar, Schwarz, Zoutori, Lezoo, Mizzy, Starlust, King Of Gosford, Ozzmosis and Climbing Star (NZ).

Progeny of Zoustar have sold for up to $800,000 at the National Yearling Sale, and his three colts in the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka in November sold for $825,000, $250,000 and $220,000.

Zoustar has one colt in the catalogue for Book 1 of Karaka 2026.

 

Karaka 2026 will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from January 25 to 29, with Book 1 on January 25 and 26, Book 2 on January 27 and the new Karaka Summer Sale on January 29.