Plenty of Quality in NZB National Weanling Sale Catalogue

The National Weanling Sale will be staged at Karaka on Thursday 26 June and has a catalogue of 134 lots plus supplementaries to be announced.

While a boutique session, there is an emphasis on quality with the catalogue featuring over 20 siblings to black-type performers, along with the progeny of a similar number of stakes-performed mares.

SIBLINGS TO BLACK-TYPE STARS

Lot 6 is a filly by Ardrossan out of the three-race winner Kumari (NZ) (Zabeel), whose four winners from five foals to race include the Group Three Epona Stakes (1900m) winner and Group Two Chairman’s Handicap (2600m) placegetter Semari (NZ) (Sebring). Kumari is a full-sister to Group Three winner Bhandara (NZ) (Zabeel) and half-sister to Group One winner Sharvasti (NZ) (Montjeu) and Group Three winner Shastri (NZ) (Stravinsky).

Lot 13 is a colt by the high-flying Per Incanto, sire of this year’s Australian Group One winners Jimmysstar (NZ) and Gringotts (NZ). This colt’s dam is London Express (NZ) (Shamexpress), who won seven races including the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m). She also placed in the Group Three NZB Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series Stakes (1400m) and two other Listed races. This is her second foal. Her first foal is a yearling.

Lot 36 is a filly by Sword Of State, whose first yearlings have been well received in the sale ring this season. This Elsdon Park-consigned filly is out of O’Carol (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), whose two foals to race are both winners and both Group performers. Sedaka (NZ) (Savabeel) has won over 1400 metres and placed in the Group Two Royal Stakes (2000m) and Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). Suit Yourself (NZ) (Savile Row) has won twice this season and finished fourth in the Group Two Auckland Guineas (1400m).

A colt by The Chosen One (NZ), catalogued as Lot 74, is a three-quarter-brother to the Group Three Triscay Stakes (1200m) winner Po Kare Kare (NZ) (Savabeel). The dam, two-race winner Suadela (Encosta De Lago), is a three-quarter-sister to the multiple Group One winner Racing To Win (Encosta De Lago). Another three-quarter-sister, Pinocchio (Encosta De Lago), is the dam of Everest winner Classique Legend (Not A Single Doubt) and Group Two-winning Hong Kong star Aethero (Sebring).

Lot 116 comes from the first crop of the Group One-winning Deep Impact stallion Profondo, who has been brought to New Zealand through a Windsor Park Stud and Mapperley Stud partnership. This filly is a half-sister to two winners including the Group Three Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) winner Denby Road (NZ) (Shamexpress). Their dam Dwandaofu (NZ) (Align) is a half-sister to multiple Group One winner and sire Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj).

Lot 129 is a colt by Sword Of State. He is a half-brother to this season’s Group Three Easter Cup (2000m) winner Torranzino (NZ) (Tarzino), while dam Goldilicious (NZ) (Helmet) is a half-sister to the Group Three winner and multiple Group Two placegetter Showbeel (NZ) (Savabeel).

 

THE SAVABEEL FACTOR

Weanlings by Waikato Stud’s legendary stallion Savabeel have been a relatively rare commodity at Karaka in recent years – only nine have gone under the hammer at this sale since 2017.

Those previous offerings include Jedibeel (NZ), who was a $35,000 purchase in 2020 and has gone on to Group Two success in Sydney and more than A$900,000 in prize-money. The 2025 catalogue features two Savabeel colts.

Lot 25 is out of the So You Think mare Meghan (NZ), who won two races and placed in the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m). Meghan is a half-sister to fellow Group performers Devildom (NZ) (Almanzor) and Reevederci (Reliable Man).

Lot 52 is out of the four-race winner Rosetta (NZ) (Pins), whose half-sister All About Magic (NZ) (Showcasing) was a dual stakes winner. This is the famous family of fourth dam Soliloquy (NZ) (Sobig), with a pedigree page featuring Group One performers such as Solveig (NZ) (Imposing), Gallic (NZ) (Zabeel), Cross Swords (NZ) (Grosvenor), Soltanto (NZ) (Tights), Filey (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Culminate (NZ) (Elnadim).

 

PROGENY OF BLACK-TYPE PERFORMERS

Lot 11 is a filly by outstanding sire Proisir, whose stakes-winning progeny include star daughters such as Prowess (NZ), Legarto (NZ), Levante (NZ), Coeur Volante (NZ), Bourbon Empress (NZ) and Vegas Queen (NZ). Offered by Hallmark Stud – the vendors of Prowess – this filly is the first foal out of the seven-race winner and Group Two Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) placegetter Le Sablier (NZ) (Tavistock).

Lot 45 is a Curraghmore colt by Staphanos out of the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) winner Quintessential (NZ) (Fast ‘n’ Famous). Passing on some of her star quality to her progeny, Quintessential is the dam of three winners from three foals to race. The best of those is Steely (All Too Hard), a nine-race winner and Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) placegetter.

Little Avondale Stud’s filly catalogued as Lot 78 is by Hello Youmzain out of Tinkalicious (NZ) (Nadeem) – the winner of six races headed by the Group Three Cuddle Stakes (1600m). This is her second foal.

Lot 91 also comes from the Little Avondale draft and is a filly by Per Incanto out of the Group Three Lowland Stakes (2100m) placegetter Amazing Lady (NZ) (O’Reilly). Herself the dam of the winner Benbulben (NZ) (Savabeel), Amazing Lady is a half-sister to the stakes winners Glamorous Girl (NZ) (Thorn Park) and So Elusive (NZ) (Elusive City).

 

NOTABLE RELATIVES

Lot 64 is a colt by Super Seth, who made waves with his first three Group One winners within the month of March this year – Feroce (NZ) in the Australian Guineas (1600m), Linebacker (NZ) in the Randwick Guineas (1600m) and La Dorada (NZ) in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). Super Seth’s service fee has soared to $75,000 for 2025. This colt is out of a half-sister to the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock). This is her second foal. Her first foal is a yearling.

Lot 69 is another weanling by the exciting Sword Of State. Offered by Cambridge Stud, this colt is out of a Street Cry half-sister to the triple Group One-winning sprinter Sunlight (Zoustar). Along with that exceptional mare, second dam Solar Charged (Charge Forward) has also produced fellow Group winners Sisstar (Zoustar) and Clean Energy (Zoustar).

Another member of the Cambridge Stud draft is Lot 107, a colt by the Golden Slipper (1200m) winner and exciting sire Farnan. This colt’s dam is the Savabeel mare Cathay Empress (NZ), who won two races and is a full-sister to Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel) and half-sister to Chenille (NZ) (Pentire). Chintz won six races up to Group Two level and was twice Group One-placed, and her three winners include the Group Two winner Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt). Chenille, meanwhile, won the Group One Auckland Cup (3200m).

 

Continuing as a dedicated weanling-only format, the National Weanling Sale is a happy hunting ground for those searching for their next pinhook success story or racetrack star. A proven source of success on the track, notable NZB weanling graduates include this season’s stakes winners Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns), plus recent Group One winners Pignan (NZ) (Staphanos), Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante), Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) and more.

All weanlings offered are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series. Graduates can compete for a share in the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), followed by the $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) as well as the new $1m Mega Maiden Series comprising of 40 non-Saturday maiden races located throughout New Zealand.

Weanlings entered in the Sale will be available for inspections at the on-farm parades, due to take place in early June, and on-site at Karaka Sales Centre, with NZB agents available to inspect on behalf of buyers.

In an exciting move, the National Weanling Sale will be held on the same date as the National Standardbred Weanling Sale at Karaka on Thursday 26 June. The joint sale date will see the thoroughbred session get underway from 10am (NZT), with the standardbred weanlings following from 2.30pm.

Buyers wishing to attend are able to book their stays at the DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka hotel onsite here or by emailing travel@nzb.co.nz for assistance.

View the 134-lot catalogue here. The catalogue can also be viewed on the Equineline app for iPads/tablets, or the Thoroughworks mobile app.

For more information, contact Bloodstock Sales Manager Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email kane.jones@nzb.co.nz, Sales Representative Patrick Cunningham on +64 21 512 466 or Patrick.Cunningham@nzb.co.nz or Andrew Buick at +64 27 555 0640 or email Andrew.Buick@nzb.co.nz.