Second Day Surge Sees Many Positive Results For 2002 Ready To Run Sale

The momentum that built towards the end of yesterday's opening session gathered further pace throughout today's Select and General Sessions.

Demand picked up to such an extent that a clearance rate of 80% was achieved across the Select session offering, a level virtually unheard of in the world of 2YO sales.

Today's spirited competition came from several quarters, with Australia, Macau, Hong Kong and New Zealand buyers all featuring strongly.

Particularly encouraging for the future of this sale was the biggest ever presence at a Ready to Run Sale of Australian buyers. In fact New Zealand Bloodstock recorded considerably more Buyer Registrations from Australia than ever before seen at this sale. Feedback from some of the many Australian trainers at the sale indicated that they are warming very much to the breeze up sale concept as an attractive buying opportunity. A number of key Australian bloodstock agents and trainers attended the sale for the first time this year.

Having such a large Australian contingent definitely created greater depth to the buying bench and helped to compensate to a fair extent the reduced demand from previously strong 2YO markets like Singapore and Malaysia, both markets which have suffered from downturns in their economies this year.

In addition to the overall very pleasing clearance rate and growth in the Australian market, the other obvious highlight of the sale was the offering of Lot 137. This very impressive half brother to top NZ 3YO galloper, Vinaka, had been all the talk leading up to the sale, not only due to his talented relations, but thanks to the very exciting fashion in which he breezed up.

Offered by Jim & Ann Gibbs of Parkvale Farm, Matamata, the gelding by Gold Brose x Shepherd's Delight attracted an opening bid of $100,000 from Graeme Rogerson, but was finally secured with a bid of $240,000 by Queensland based former top jockey, Mick Dittman.

While the heady days of recording astronomical leaps in average and aggregate at the Ready to Run Sale have now come back to reality, the fact remains that the sale has grown from an average of $14,000 as recently as 1996, to offering buyers many quality horses and offering vendors an opportunity to sell at an average of over $50,000.

The introduction of the first ever voluntary X-ray Repository at auction in New Zealand was achieved in a relatively smooth and efficient fashion. The participation rate by vendors was as high as 85% of Select horses. The vets were kept very busy throughout the sale recording around 200 viewings.

While there is still a learning curve on the issue for participants in this part of the world, the introduction of the system was very much vindicated by the fact that a number of buyers made their decision to attend the sale based on knowing they would have the opportunity to obtain pre-sale Xray reports.

New Zealand Bloodstock has faith that the popularity of the breeze up sale concept will continue to flourish further and still has considerable potential for growth in coming years.

SELECT SESSION

Select Session Average = $50,338
($56,249 last year).

Select Session Colts Average = $53,153
Select Session Fillies Average = $33,875

Select Session Aggregate = 5,738,500 for 114 Lots sold
($10,476,500 for 183 lots sold last year).

Select Session Clearance Rate = 64% (last year 57%).

Select Session Median = $45,000 (last year = $45,000)

Select Session Top Price = $240,000 for Lot 137.
(Last year Top Price = $240,000).

Select Session Leading Buyer by Aggregate = New Zealand Bloodstock as Agent with 8 Lots purchased for $405,000.

GENERAL SESSION SUMMARY

General Session Average = $16,617
($17,332 last year).

General Session Aggregate = $1,063,500 for 64 Lots sold
($1,331,700 for 76 lots sold last year).

General Session Clearance Rate = 70% (last year 48%).

General Session Top