Proven Vendors Gunning for Supremacy

Securing the top spots on the leading vendors table at Karaka is no easy feat with multiple vendors having the firepower to claim ultimate supremacy.

The signs are strong for title holder Waikato Stud who has had a massive year with their Champion Sire Savabeel producing a Guineas double with 2000 Guineas winner Embellish (NZ) and 1000 Guineas winner Hasahalo (NZ). Rounding that number out in just three short weeks in November, across the Tasman Shillelagh (NZ) won the Group 1 Cantala Stakes in Victoria. Only a month later Kawi (NZ) claimed his seventh Group 1 victory in the Captain Cook Stakes bolstering Savabeel’s record of 15 individual Group 1 winners.

“Savabeel’s year has been phenomenal. Were half way through this season and he’s already had 14 individual stakes winners but I think the real highlight for us was the Guineas double - you can’t do much better than that,” owner and general manager Mark Chittick said this week.

“Both of them were graduates from Karaka and what’s great from Savabeel’s angle is that one was the top priced yearling we have ever sold and the other was a $110,000 filly which shows there is always value there if buyers are prepared to do their homework.”

Last year Waikato Stud sold 80 yearlings across the week-long Sales Series for a total of $9.8 million, while Savabeel was the star Kiwi sire with 55 yearlings selling for more than $11.5 million including four of the top eight lots.

Having ensued the title for the past four consecutive years, Waikato Stud will again offer a quality draft of yearlings at Karaka 2018 including 84 in Book 1.

“The main aim for us is to sell as many horses as we possibly can. We’ve got 80-odd going up to Karaka for Book 1 and all of them are owned by us.

“There’s another crop of foals on the ground for next year so it’s really important for us to sell these yearlings and get them into the best homes possible.”

Waikato Stud’s draft includes:

• Lot 108 is a son of New Zealand Champion Sire Savabeel out of Chilled Out who has produced three winners from three foals to race.
• Lot 265 is a Savabeel colt out of the winning mare Iguazu’s Girl. This colt is a half-brother to Waikato’s first season sire and four-time Group 1 winner Sacred Falls.

Preparing for his grand Karaka finale will be Cambridge Stud’s Sir Patrick Hogan with the end of an era marked in April when Brendan and Jo Lindsay take ownership. Making their debut Yearling Sale appearance back in 1978, Hogan was the leading vendor for an unbroken 32 years and with an incredible history him and Lady Justine have been voted New Zealand Breeder of the Year five times.

“I’ll be treating this sale just like any other, everyone on deck doing their job, every yearling presented as well as it possibly can be and at the end of the day the buyers being the judges,” Hogan said.

Between 1978 and 2017, more than 1,600 Cambridge Stud yearlings have sold for an aggregate of just under $260 million with 11 of those individual lots selling for $1 million or more. Their Karaka 2018 draft is set to boast 59 yearlings in Book 1 with resident stars Tavistock, Power and Burgundy represented along with other global powerhouse sires.

Cambridge Stud’s draft includes:

• Lot 12 is a Tavistock colt out of the winning Zabeel mare Zsa Zsa Gabeel.
• Lot 612 is a daughter of Tavistock out of the Zabeel mare Special Diamond who has produced three stakes performers.

Earning the title in 2013, and breaking Cambridge Stud’s winning streak, Curraghmore Stud frequently finishes in the top three vendors at Karaka. Having surpassed the million dollar mark in 2013 with the sale-topping Fastnet Rock colt that sold for just shy of $2 million, last year alone he sold 31 yearlings for $5.3 million.

Owned and managed by Gordon Cunningham, his draft of 23 in Book 1 features a number of quality yearlings that link back to their cast of Group 1-performed graduates including:

• Lot 188 a full brother to Group 1-winning champion female sprinter First Seal by Fastnet Rock and out of dual Group 1 winner Episode.
• Lot 458 a full brother to 1000 Guineas winner Rollout the Carpet by Holy Roman Emperor.

While Waikato Stud, Cambridge Stud and Curraghmore Stud consistently perform at the top, the list of vendors with quality drafts at Karaka 2018 encompasses a range of consignors.

Westbury Stud continues to go from strength to strength with their multiple Group 1-winning shuttle stallion Reliable Man who has produced Group 1 performers Sully (NZ) and Belle du Nord (NZ). His yearlings from his first two crops sold for up to $340,000 in 2016 and 2017 and this year will have 16 yearlings in Book 1. Having sold 62 youngsters at last year’s Sale for an aggregate of $4.3 million, they settled in fourth on the leader board.

Their entire Book 1 draft includes 50 yearlings with the likes of:

• Lot 119 a half-sister to Group 1 winner Music Magnate by emerging sire Reliable Man.
• Lot 472 an I Am Invincible colt out of Group winning mare Petty Cury.

Haunui Farm has a rich history of producing racehorses that deliver results and the Karaka-based operation is rising to new levels with Group 1-producing resident sires Iffraaj and Showcasing. Iffraaj sired two Derby winners last season in Karaka graduates Jon Snow (NZ) and Gingernuts (NZ) while Showcasing is quickly making a name for himself being the New Zealand Leading Sire of 2YO winners.

The farm has also produced two Karaka Million 2YO winners with last year’s leader Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) and the Haunui born and raised Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing) in 2015. With a new yearling crop coming off the farm, Karaka 2018 will see them offer 27 yearlings in Book 1 including:

• Lot 215 is the first foal out of Brisbane Cup-winning mare Floria who was raced by Haunui Farm, and is by Australian Champion Sire Snitzel.
• Lot 371 is a daughter of Not a Single Doubt. She is out of the Iffraaj mare Meleka Belle making her a half-sister to Champion 2YO in New Zealand Melody Belle.

The team at Windsor Park Stud earned honours at the Sale last year when Shamexpress made his yearling debut and claimed the leading first season sire for the Premier session. This time around, more fresh blood will be offered with the progeny of first season sire Charm Spirit.

“Shamexpress was the leading first season sire last time around and we’re certainly expecting Charm Spirit to be right among them this time” commented general manager Steve Till.

Charm Spirit will present 24 of his yearlings among their 54-strong Book 1 draft including:

• Lot 319 is a filly by Windsor’s resident first season sire Charm Spirit. She is out of the multiple Group-winning mare Lady Kipling.
• Lot 355 is a daughter of I Am Invincible out of the stakes performed Mabsam.

Husband and wife team Brent and Cherry Taylor have operated the long-standing Trelawney Stud in Cambridge with a lengthy list of Group 1 performers having being bred, reared and sold from the farm. Five-time Group 1 winning sire Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park) and Singapore Horse of the Year War Affair (NZ) (O’Reilly) are just a few.

Trelawney Stud’s 27 yearlings in Book 1 include:

• Lot 80 is a filly out of Group 1 winner Boundless, by New Zealand Champion Sire Savabeel.
• Lot 304 is a half-brother to stakes winner Bostonian. By Makfi, he is out of a half-sister to champion sprinter and Horse of the Year King Mufhasa.

NZB’s revamped National Yearling Sales Series will take place from Sunday 28 January – Sunday 4 February. Catalogues can be collected from the Karaka Sales Centre or viewed online at www.nzb.co.nz.