Southern Vendors Primed for South Island Sale

South Island-based vendors compose the entire catalogue for New Zealand Bloodstock’s South Island Sale which is just two days away (Friday 15 April).

Located at a new venue this year, the Riding for the Disabled Building at the Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch, the Sale will have a distinctly local flavour with all 16 vendors hailing from the South Island.

Last year’s leading vendor Berkley Stud, who topped the Sale with 10 horses sold for a gross of $152,000, will present the largest draft of 20 horses in 2016, half of which are sired by their resident stallions Coats Choice and freshman sire Highly Recommended.

Owned and operated by Edwina Morris and Alan Jones, Berkley Stud will offer close relatives to two of Australia’s most impressive racetrack performers this season. Lot 12 comes from the same family as multiple Group 1 winner Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj), while Lot 24 is closely related to Caulfield Guineas winner Press Statement (Hinchinbrook).

Lot 58 is by high-flying sire Swiss Ace out of the stakes-performed mare Eleanor Coup (Daggers Drawn) and descends from the same family as Group 1 winners Shamrocker (NZ) (O’Reilly) and Rock Diva (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn).

Lot 68 is a colt from the first crop of Cox Plate-winning Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park, and is a half-brother to stakes winners Crepe De Chine (NZ) (Pins), Arenti (NZ) (Pins) and Glam Slam (NZ) (Pins).

The second largest draft belongs to Brian and Lorraine Anderton’s White Robe Lodge, they will present 16 yearlings at the Sale including 13 sired by resident stallions Raise the Flag and Gallant Guru.

Among their draft is Lot 51, a filly by Raise the Flag out of the stakes-winning mare Cherry Creek (Monashee Mountain). This filly is a half-sister to the recent Group 3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes winner Coulee (NZ) (Gallant Guru).

The leading vendors by average at last year’s South Island Sale were Three Valleys, whose six yearlings sold for an aggregate of $98,500 at an average of $16,417.

Three Valleys will present a larger draft of 11 yearlings this year, including Lot 2, by No Excuse Needed out of a half-sister to Prized Gem (NZ) (Prized), a Group 1 winner and dam of Derby winner and sire Nom Du Jeu (NZ) (Montjeu).

Inglewood Stud will offer six horses including four yearlings by their exciting young stallion Zacinto. Zacinto yearlings sold for up to $240,000 at the 2016 National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.

Other vendors in the Sale are D. G. & J. M. Arthur, F. C. Barcham, Hedwood Thoroughbreds Ltd, Long Acres Stud, V. C. Mackle, Mansfield Farm, J. M. Norriss, Park Hill Stables, Pear Tree Farm, G. Tomlinson, Willow Glen and the C. P. Wilson and B. A. Sheat Partnership.

There have been three supplementary entries to the Sale catalogue. A yearling colt by O’Reilly out of Bronte Walk will go through the ring as Lot 95, the racehorse Salu will be sold as Lot 97 and the unraced filly Gamora at Lot 98.

A benefit of the Sale forming part of the National Yearling Sales Series is that it presents the final opportunity this season to purchase yearlings eligible for entry into the lucrative Karaka Million Series. The enhanced Series now features two $1m races with the $1m Karaka Million for two-year-olds in 2017, the enormously boosted $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic in 2018 and the $100,000 Karaka Stayers’ Cup for the duration of their racing careers.

NZB’s South Island Sale will commence at 11am this Friday in the Riding for the Disabled Building at the Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch. For more information on the Sale or to view the catalogue online, click here.