Quality Fillies an Increasing Drawcard in NZB Ready to Run Sale

A notable trend through the last decade of NZB’s Ready to Run Sale is the ever-growing number and quality of fillies featuring in the catalogue for the world’s leading sale of two-year-olds.

In contrast to the 46 fillies catalogued for the Ready to Run Sale in 2014, this year’s sale features a contingent of 85 fillies complete with racetrack potential and residual value.

There were 79 fillies offered at last year’s Ready to Run Sale, and 54 of them sold for a total of $6.22m. Their average price was $115,093.

The highest-priced filly last year was Lot 298, a Super Seth filly from the draft of Kilgravin Lodge. She was bought for $700,000 by Laming Racing and John White Bloodstock. Named Rapid Cheval (NZ), she was a winner at Eagle Farm in September.

Another filly by Super Seth was offered by Lilywhites Lodge and went through the ring as Lot 175. She was a $525,000 purchase by Shailer Racing and Hughes Bloodstock and has been named Leica Glove (NZ).

Last year’s sale has already produced no fewer than 29 individual winners, including the fillies Rapid Cheval, Khadime (Star Turn), Simsala (NZ) (Almanzor), Honey Badger (NZ) (El Roca), Our Paramour (NZ) (Contributer), Anushka Shesastar (NZ) (Proisir), Kaiseda (Magna Grecia), Perfumist (NZ) (El Roca), Stage ‘n’ Screen (NZ) (Ace High) and Ourania (NZ) (Almanzor).

The fillies going through the ring in 2024 have the right credentials to deliver similar results on the racetrack or even the breeding barn in the not-too-distant future. Notable fillies in the catalogue include:

• Lot 10, a full-sister to Domain Ace (NZ) (Swiss Ace), who won at Listed level as a two-year-old and finished third in last Saturday’s Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton.
• Lot 11, a filly by Per Incanto out of a sister to three stakes winners including the dual Group One winner Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel).
• Lot 53, a daughter of superstar sire I Am Invincible and the Group Three Tesio Stakes (1600m) winner Lubiton (Snitzel).
• Lot 116, a three-quarter-sister to the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m) winner Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer).
• Lot 119, whose half-sister Aspect Ratio (Declaration Of War) and dam Poste Restante (NZ) (Postponed) both placed at Group Three level. Lot 119’s breeze-up was the fastest by any filly in the catalogue, clocking 10.13 seconds.
• Lot 170, a full-sister to Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor), who was runner-up in last season’s Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and Group Two Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). She also finished fourth in the Group One Levin Classic (1600m) and fifth in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
• Lot 202, whose full-sister Powers Of Opal (NZ) (Ocean Park) was runner-up in the Group One VRC Oaks (2500m) and Group Two Wakeful Stakes (2000m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.
• Lot 295, from the first crop of Russian Camelot. This filly is the first foal out of Group Two performer Bergamot (NZ) (Sweet Orange).
• Lot 320, whose half-brother Shamus (NZ) (Shamexpress) has won seven times up to Group Two level.
• Lot 370, by triple Group One winner Bivouac. This filly’s dam is a half-sister to the five-time Group One winner Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega).

The 2024 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre on 20 & 21 November, with selling starting at 11am (NZT) each day.