South Islanders Strong at May Sale

Through the course of New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale last week, there was a group of buyers looming large in the results sheets, with 'the South Island' featuring prominently as the new home for many of the thoroughbreds on offer.

Of the 585 horses sold at the May Sale, 85 of them were purchased by South Island interests, some 15% of the 2009 catalogue. Their purchases included 36 weanlings, 39 mares, 2 yearlings, 3 unbroken horses, 3 broken horses, and 2 racehorses destined to cross the Cook Strait.

In 2006 and 2007 the South Island accounted for a total of 70 purchases at the May Sale, but in 2008 this number rose dramatically to 86 purchases, and 2009 followed suit.

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�Lake Wakatipu with the Southern Alps in the background.

The buoyancy of the South Island market is one of the positive outcomes of the recent sale, given the recent economic conditions. �The strength of the Southerners can be largely attributed to their prosperous agricultural-based economy, and the competitive racing staged by clubs such as Gallop South in the region which has increased the viability of racing a horse in the deep south.

As an example, last Sunday's Wairio JC's meeting at Ascot Park saw a minimum stake of $10,000 on the eleven race card, which included three maiden races and two rating 70 and jumpers events.

Also Australasian Group 1 racing can thank South Island breeding for Master O'Reilly, Orange County, Gaze, and Kaaptan, in recent years.

Further testament to the revitalised South Island industry is the fact that the leading South Island buyer by spend was Tim Kelly, an Irishman who has recently set up Ballybin Farm just north of Christchurch.

Kelly, with his wife Serena,�has named the farm after his family's Irish-based Ballybin Farm, where he learnt a great deal about running a commercial thoroughbred operation. �He made just one purchase at the Sale, at Lot 366, the sole broodmare by champion sire Sadler's Wells to be offered through the ring.

Kelly said his $60,000 purchase is part of a strategy to develop his operation in New Zealand.

"Our aim is to focus on quality and we hope to build to a stage where we have two to�four Premier quality mares."

"Incommunicado is a part of this process and being by Sadler's Wells, from a strong international family with a host of outstanding European and American form, she really appealed to me.�She has a strong sales record, and�I expect her to leave a�nice type.�I am happy with her�early cover to Savabeel who has started his stud career well, and I expect his progeny to build on that initial success in the next couple of years."

"At this stage�Incommunicado will visit champion European sprinter Sakhee's Secret as I think he is a fantastic looking individual with great finishing speed, much like his own sire Sakhee. She has already produced a good metropolitan horse by Stravinsky, who comes from the same family as Sakhee's Secret."

Kelly's Ballybin Farm will debut in the sales ring at Karaka 2010 where they will offer their first draft of yearlings.

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�Berkley's Alan Jones with Idle Rich (Dash for Cash) at the 2007 South Island Sale - he is a winner this season for his purchasers Brian Johnstone and Fran Houlahan.

Leading South Island breeders Berkley Stud, home of Coat's Choice, My Halo, and Danske, were the leading buyers by number purchased with a total of twelve destined for their South Island base. Alan Jones and Edwina Morris' Berkley Stud has been leading vendor at NZB's South Island Sale over the past three years and there is a strong possibility their three highest priced purchases, Lot 282 a Pins colt, Lot 209 a Perfectly Ready colt, and Lot 670 a Mr. Nancho colt, will be seen again at the Christchurch auction.

Close behind with eleven purchases was Bruce Smith and Angelique Hyde's Green Acres Stud, a stud established in 2006 near Waipara's wine growing district. �Standing Painted Black, Kingmaker, and Ruby's Jester in 2009, the farm purchased six mares at the Sale to be served by their resident sires.

Other leading South Island studs including Debbie Clark and Miles Gordon's Long Acres Stud, Dave Haywood's Phuttocks End, Brian and Lorraine Anderton's White Robe Lodge, and Mike and Jimmy Cooney's Willow Glen, were also amongst the broodmare and weanling buyers, along with many other southern breeders and trainers.

New Zealand Bloodstock is now taking entries for its annual South Island Sale of two-year-olds, set for 7 August at the Canterbury Agricultural Grounds. The Sale is unique in that it offers unbroken two-year-olds against a dramatic backdrop of snow-covered Southern Alps. Adding to the excitement, this year's 2009 South Island Sale coincides with the New Zealand Racing Awards and Riccarton's Winter Racing Carnival.

Entries close on 27 May and forms are available from maryjane.harvey@nzb.co.nz.