Pedigree Updates Add to Karaka 2026 Excitement

Anticipation has been rapidly building in the countdown to the milestone 100th New Zealand National Yearling Sale, and a series of significant pedigree updates have only added to the hype.

The catalogues for Karaka 2026 feature siblings to eight horses that have won at black-type level since the catalogue went to print, two of them Group One winners.

The headline act is Lot 513, a colt from the Cambridge Stud draft that has had his credentials elevated on both sides of his pedigree. His sire is the exciting Cambridge Stud youngster Sword Of State, whose stocks have risen sharply with his first crop of two-year-olds in Australia, headed by stakes-winning filly Torture (NZ) and unbeaten colt Warwoven.

Lot 513 is also a half-brother to the superstar Karaka graduate Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock), who added a fourth Group One triumph to his record with another powerhouse performance in the A$3m Group One Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington in November.

The other Group One-winning pedigree update comes for Lot 138, Milan Park’s colt by Super Seth out of Sombreuil (Flying Spur). As well as being a half-brother to last year’s $1.5m Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and $3.5m NZB Kiwi (1500m) winner Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel), the colt is also a half-brother to Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) who is now a triple Group One winner after taking out the Group One TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham in December.

 

New Stakes Winners

Lot 114 is a full-brother to Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor), who now has a Group Three victory in the Great Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m) to her name. She had previously placed in the Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m), Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m), Listed Aotearoa Classic (1600m) and Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) and finished fourth in the Group One Levin Classic (1600m).

Cambridge Stud will offer a Spirit Of Boom filly as Lot 461. She is a half-sister to Kind Words (Written Tycoon), who was a Group Three placegetter before the catalogue went to print but has greatly boosted her profile and value since then with a victory in the Group Three Belle of the Turf Stakes (1600m).

Waikato Stud’s Savabeel colt catalogued as Lot 467 is a full-brother to Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel), who has won three times since the catalogue went to print including the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m) and the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m).

Lot 579 is a half-brother to Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines), who won the Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton in November. This colt is by White Robe Lodge stallion Ancient Spirit, who has also been credited with his first stakes winner since the catalogue went to print – three-year-old filly Bobby Mcgee (NZ) in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m).

Lot 860, a colt in the inaugural Karaka Summer Sale, is a half-brother to De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan). That two-year-old filly has had two starts for two wins including the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m).

 

Emerging Talents

Waikato Stud’s Noverre colt catalogued as Lot 371 is a half-brother to the exciting Cross Tasman (NZ) (Super Seth), who has won three races since the catalogue went to print including a three-length romp at Rosehill on Saturday. Cross Tasman has now had seven starts for four wins and two placings. This colt is the final foal out of the dam Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed), a triple Group One winner and proven black-type producer who sadly died recently at the age of 20.

Lot 500 is a half-brother to the three-year-old filly Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel), who ran an outstanding race for third behind Well Written (Written Tycoon) and Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November. Lot 222 is out of a half-sister to Belle Cheval.

Lot 534 is a Wentwood Grange colt by Almanzor. He is a half-brother to the Hawkins family’s homebred juvenile Harvey Wallbanger (NZ) (Home Affairs), who has run eye-catching placings in the Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m) and Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) since the catalogue went to print.

Lot 547 is a full-brother to Fleeting Star (Cool Aza Beel), who appears as only a placegetter in the Book 1 catalogue. She has since scored a smart maiden win at Ellerslie, followed by a third placing in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) on Boxing Day.

 

Other Notables

Lot 100 is a three-quarter-brother to Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto), who has placed in the Group One CF Orr Stakes (1400m) and the A$10m Golden Eagle (1500m) since the catalogue went to print. Lots 311 and 563 are also close relatives.

Lot 215 comes from the eagerly anticipated first crop of yearlings by Anamoe and is out of a half-sister to the recent Group One Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) placegetter On Display (Fastnet Rock).

Lot 247 is a close relative to Raging Blizzard (NZ) (Per Incanto), who ran second behind world champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).

Lot 465 is a half-brother to Tavi Time (NZ) (Tavistock), who successfully defended his title in the Group Three Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick on Boxing Day.

Lot 599 is out of a half-sister to Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj), who picked up her second runner-up finish at Group One level in the Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Lot 812 is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to Romanoff (NZ) (Belardo), who won the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November.

 

Karaka Millions 2YO Contenders

Numerous yearlings in the Karaka 2026 catalogues are in line for major pedigree updates from the running of this Saturday’s $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie.

Lot 61 is an Ardrossan filly who is a half or full-sister to three stakes performers including Butler Cabin (NZ) (Ardrossan), who has finished second in the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) and fourth in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) since the catalogue went to print.

Lot 61 comes from the draft of Elsdon Park, who will also offer Lot 97 – a colt by Per Incanto whose half-sister Stromlinien (NZ) (Almanzor) earned her way into the Karaka Millions field with a stylish debut victory at Ellerslie on January 11.

Lot 362 is an Ardrossan colt whose half-brother Out Of The Blue (NZ) (Tivaci) goes into the Karaka Millions with two wins and a Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) placing to his name from a three-start career.

The Banquo colt catalogued as Lot 860 in the Karaka Summer Sale is a half-brother to the unbeaten Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) winner De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan).

Lot 914 in the Karaka Summer Sale is a full-brother to Midnight Dart (NZ) (Derryn), who has earned his way into Karaka Millions contention with a win and a fourth from his only two starts.
 

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.