Saturday Update – Ready To Run Sale

The international sale spotlight will again be focused firmly on New Zealand over the next couple of days as buyers jet in from Asia and Australia for the Ready to Run Sale of 2YO's to be conducted on Tuesday. New Zealand Bloodstock reports that horses have begun arriving at Karaka already and will build to a full complement over the weekend, with most buyers due to hit the sale grounds by Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.

Thanks to a combination of factors, including the ever increasing quality of horse being offered and the subsequent stream of successful graduates coming out of the sale, the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale has firmly secured its position as the premier sale of 2YO's in Australasia.

Some of the many impressive young horses to have emerged from this sale in recent times include:

Top Priced Lot at last year's Ready to Run Sale, named Lim's Grand (Gold Brose x Shepherd's Delight) has proven a very exciting young galloper from the stable of John Meagher in Singapore. The 3yo gelding has recorded 3 wins and a 2nd from 4 starts, including a recent victory in the Listed Singapore Turf Club Paititi Trophy on November 9th. Sold by Jim & Ann Gibbs of Parkvale Farm for $240,000 and knocked down to the bid of former top jockey Mick Dittman, Lim's Grand, is a half brother to Grp. 1 WRC Telegraph Handicap winner Vinaka and the very promising Vaalu.

Another good looking and subsequently high priced graduate of the sale to taste high level success is San Luis (Flying Spur x Star Style Girl) who fetched $300,000 at the 2000 Ready to Run Sale. He proved money well spent when he won the Grp. 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes, placed second in the Grp. 1 Auckland Sires Produce Stakes and went on to become the Ford 2YO of the Year. San Luis was offered by Lyndhurst Farm and was purchased by NZ Bloodsotck as agent for a syndicate. As a 3YO he went on to bravely finish second in the Grp.1 Two Thousand Guineas after injuring a tendon at the 600m. San Luis now stands at Highview Stud.

Prolific stakes earner Century Kid (Centaine x Zeffi) was sold at the 1999 Ready to Run Sale. Century Kid has earned himself HK$450,000 and A$1,185,950, from his 10 win and 8 placings career to date. He was the winner of the Grp. 2 QTC Cup Handicap, the Grp. 2 AJC TJ Smith Stakes and the Grp. 2 STC Premiere Stakes. He is also the winner of four Listed events. Century Kid was purchased by his trainer, Graeme Rogerson for what has turned out to be the very modest sum, in relation to his earnings, of $40,000 from the draft of Waikato Stud.

The Grp. 3 Otago RC White Robe Lodge Stakes winner Foxy Blonde (Volksraad x Platinum Blond) sold for $145,000 from the draft of Windsor Park Stud at the 2000 Ready to Run Sale. She was purchased by Vicki Van Dorp of Truffle Downs, Karaka, and has thus far produced a fine record of 6 wins and 6 placings from 19 starts.

Sir Clive is another New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale success story. Sold for $36,000 at the 1999 Sale, he is the winner of the Grp. 2 AJC Hobartville Stakes and placed second in the Grp. 1 New Zealand Derby, Grp 1 AJC Australian Derby, Grp. 1 Bayer Classic and Grp. 1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas. Sir Clive is the earner of A$482,300 and NZ$161,575.

Last years Grp.1 Auckland Cup winner Bodie (Stark South x Ballina Wave) also won the Grp. 3 Rotorua Cup and placed in the Grp. 1 AJC Metropolitan Handicap. Bodie was sold at the 1999 Ready to Run Sale by Te Miro Lodge for $15,000, and was purchased by trainer Kevin Myers of Wanganui.

Torlesse (Volksraad x Seamist) a runner in Saturday's Grp. 2 New Zealand Cup at Riccarton Park in Christchurch is a winner eleven times including three Grp. 3 victories and two Listed events. Torlesse has earned over NZ$170,000. Windsor Park Stud sold him for $50,000 to trainer Mandy Brown of Christchurch.

Highly regarded Singapore gallopers Tres Sheik (Desert Style x La Marmalad