Southern Vendors Set for South Island Sale

With New Zealand Bloodstock’s South Island Sale only two days away, vendors will be putting the final details into place before offering their drafts for Sale at Christchurch’s Canterbury Agricultural Park.

A host of vendors will be present at the Sale with South Island vendors a major player, accounting for 22 of the 29 vendors, making up 85% of the catalogue.

Last year’s leading vendor, White Robe Lodge, returns this year with the second largest draft of nine yearlings, sired by their resident stallions Raise the Flag and Gallant Guru.

Among their draft is Lot 70, a colt by Raise the Flag who is a half-brother to two stakes winners, Requisite (NZ) (Yamanin Vital), winner of the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes, and Rosa Marada (NZ) (Yamanin Vital) who won the Listed Belle of the Turf Stakes.

Raise the Flag led the 2014 edition of the Sale as the leading sire by average (three or more sold) and returns this year with the largest draft with 11 entries, five of these in White Robe Lodge’s draft.

Brian and Lorraine Anderton’s White Robe Lodge also has four yearlings by Gallant Guru catalogued. Among the sire’s leading progeny is Include (NZ) (Gallant Guru), a winner of 10 races, three at stakes level, and also by the sire is Ortem Fire (NZ) (Gallant Guru), winner of the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes.

With 54% of his runners becoming winners across New Zealand, Australia and Singapore, Gallant Guru has enjoyed a fruitful season amongst his other progeny including Valiant (NZ) (Gallant Guru) and Gallant Ruby (NZ) (Gallant Guru), both stakes placegetters.

Group 1 winner Who Shot Thebarman (NZ) (Yamanin Vital) is one of Anderton’s current success stories after placing second in the Group 1 Sydney Cup on Saturday. Yamanin Vital is one of White Robe Lodge’s former stallions, leaving 11 stakes winners, with Who Shot Thebarman, bred by Anderton, one of the four Group 1 winners he produced.

Friday’s Sale has one entry sired by Yamanin Vital, a broodmare at Lot 103, who is a half-sister to dual stakes winner St Peter’s Gift (NZ) (St. Petersburg). Offered by Leafland Stud, the South Island based vendor has four other lots entered in the Sale.

Edwina Morris and Alan Jones’ Berkley Stud  has the largest draft of 12 entries, including 11 yearlings and one broodmare (a supplementary entry). Sires to be represented by yearlings are Coats Choice, Edenwold, Per Incanto, Raise the Flag, Road to Rock, Savabeel, Showcasing, Sufficient, first season sire Zacinto and a broodmare by Personal Escort.

Berkley Stud is revelling in both local and international racetrack success this season, thanks to their resident stallion Coats Choice. Natuzzi (NZ) (Coats Choice) has starred on home turf with four Listed wins and has finished runner-up in three Group 1 races.

Dual stakes winner Milo (NZ) (Coats Choice), who was sold as a two-year-old at the 2009 South Island Sale by Berkley Stud, has a full-brother catalogued at Lot 10.

Singapore galloper Absolutely (NZ) (Coats Choice) has been an international performer for Coats Choice, recently winning the Sgp-3 Three Rings Trophy. Juvenile runners Kubera Warrior (NZ) (Coats Choice) and Fine Choice (NZ) (Coats Choice) are another two of Coats Choice’s progeny to run in Singapore, heading home a quinella in the first leg of The Golden Horseshoe Series. All three runners were sold by Berkley Stud at NZB’s South Island Sale.

A colt by freshman sire Showcasing is among the draft of Three Valleys. Catalogued at Lot 72, the colt by Showcasing, the same sire of the 2015 Karaka Million winner Hardline, is a half-brother to Belle Miraaj (NZ) (Iffraaj), winner of the Listed Southland Guineas and the Listed Gore Guineas. Three Valleys have seven other entries by sires including Coats Choice, Handsome Ransom, Road to Rock and Edenwold.

Other vendors included in the Sale are Archer Corporation, Ardsley Stud, C.P Wilson & B.A Sheat Partnership, D.G & J.M Arthur, Denali Park, Fairdale Stud, G. Tomlinson, G.R Davis, Grangewilliam Stud, Haunui Farm, Hedwood Thoroughbreds, Highbury Park, Hurlingham, Inglewood Stud, Long Acres Stud, Mallee Park, Mansfield Farm, N.A Grant, Paritai Farm, Park Hill Stables, Pear Tree Farm Agistment, Peters Stables, Suncroft Bloodstock, White Acres and Willow Glen.

Two lots have been added through the supplementary catalogue, Lot 107 & Lot 108, the latter is a yearling that will be offered at the end of the yearling session after Lot 98 with Lot 107 being offered at the end of the broodmare session.

New Zealand Bloodstock’s South Island Sale will commence at 11am this Friday at Christchurch’s Canterbury Agricultural Park. For more information on the Sale or to view the catalogue online, click here.