New Zealand currently boasts one of its strongest stallion line-ups in decades. In addition to outstanding exploits on home soil, kiwi stallions have sired the winners of seven Group One races in Australia this season, and feature prominently on the Australian premiership. Over the last six years, New Zealand-based sires have also won four stallion titles in Singapore and two in Hong Kong.

Karaka 2021 is the number one source of progeny by these high-quality sires, as well as a selection of yearlings by some of the biggest names from Australia’s stallion ranks, plus the sons and daughters of a range of young, up-and-coming sire talent.

 

Proven Sires

DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) 

Himself a NZ$1.1 million yearling at Karaka and a five-time Group One winner, Darci Brahma (NZ) has become a prolific source of winners across Australasia and Asia.

He has sired 477 winners from 655 runners. He was recently credited with his 50^th individual stakes winner, and 11 of those have been at Group One level. He has been champion sire in Singapore in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, and was champion sire in Malaysia in 2019.

His eight black-type winners in Australia include Gust of Wind (NZ), who won the ATC Australian Oaks (2400m), while D B Pin (NZ) won Hong Kong’s Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and finished twice in two editions of the star-studded Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). Four of Darci Brahma’s progeny have won at stakes level in Singapore, where 66 of his 94 runners have won races.

Darci Brahma has nine yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, with another five in Book 2.

 

IFFRAAJ 

Last season was a Haunui Farm farewell for accomplished shuttle stallion Iffraaj, who made an indelible impact over 11 seasons at stud in this part of the world.

Over his outstanding tenure at Haunui, Iffraaj has sired 312 winners from 534 runners among his southern hemisphere progeny. That includes 26 individual stakes winners. Turn Me Loose (NZ), Gingernuts (NZ), Jon Snow (NZ) and Wyndspelle (NZ), Group One winners over distances ranging from 1400 to 2400 metres, are now all embarking on their own stallion careers in New Zealand.

Iffraaj has sired five stakes winners in Australia, including Jon Snow, Gingernuts and Turn Me Loose at the elite level, while there have been 20 winners in Hong Kong, 29 in Singapore and 23 (with two stakes winners) in Malaysia.

With Iffraaj no longer shuttling to this part of the world, his yearlings are set to be in high demand at Karaka 2021, where he has 28 yearlings in Book 1 and seven in Book 2.

 

OCEAN PARK (NZ) 

Cox Plate winner Ocean Park (NZ) has wasted no time in making his mark at stud, siring a series of big-race performers on both sides of the Tasman among his early total of 165 winners from 275 runners. He has sired 12 individual stakes winners to date, including Kolding (NZ) in the Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m) and George Main Stakes (1600m), as well as the A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m), and Tofane (NZ) in the Group One All Aged Stakes (1400m).

Book 1 of Karaka 2021 will feature 17 yearlings by Ocean Park, and there is also one in Book 2.

 

PER INCANTO 

Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto has become a regular name in the top five on the New Zealand sires’ premiership, siring 226 winners from his 352 runners to date including 16 individual stakes winners. Shadows Cast (NZ), Santa Monica (NZ) and Dal Cielo (NZ) have provided Group One success in New Zealand, while Saracino (NZ) and Lanciato (NZ) have been Group One winners on the other side of the Tasman.

Per Incanto has sired 47 winners from 68 runners in Australia, 21 from just 28 in Hong Kong, 19 from 27 in Singapore and seven out of 11 in Malaysia. He is currently New Zealand’s equal leading sire of individual winners with 27 so far in 2020-21, and he sits second on the Hong Kong standings with 21.

There are 21 Per Incanto yearlings in the catalogue for Book 1 of Karaka 2021, with another 10 in Book 2.

 

RELIABLE MAN 

A Group One winner in both hemispheres, Reliable Man is carving out a highly successful career at stud with 209 winners from 405 runners to date. He has sired 15 individual stakes winners, including Miami Bound (NZ), Sentimental Miss (NZ) and current Western Australian star Inspirational Girl (NZ) at Group One level.

Reliable Man has a significant presence at Karaka 2021 with 28 yearlings in Book 1 and another seven in Book 2.

 

SAVABEEL 

The undisputed king of New Zealand’s current sires, Cox Plate winner Savabeel has topped the Kiwi sires’ premiership in all of the last six seasons. His overall total now stands at 709 winners from 994 runners, with 106 individual stakes winners including 20 at Group One level.

His 44 individual stakes winners in Australia include elite performers Lucia Valentina (NZ), Sangster (NZ), Scarlett Lady (NZ), Shillelagh (NZ), Brambles (NZ), Pasadena Girl (NZ) and current star Probabeel (NZ). His talented son The Chosen One (NZ) produced big performances for third in this season’s Caulfield Cup (2400m) and fourth in the Melbourne Cup (3200m).

Savabeel has been represented by 376 winners from 547 runners in Australia, 41 from 62 in Hong Kong, 27 from 33 in Singapore and eight from 11 in Malaysia.

The majority of Savabeel’s 20 Group One winners were sold through the Karaka sale ring, and that is again the place to go to secure his progeny this season. Book 1 of Karaka 2021 features 44 Savabeel yearlings.

 

TAVISTOCK (NZ) 

Since the untimely death of Tavistock (NZ) in December of last year, his progeny have illustrated the scale of that loss with a series of top-class performances. Tavistock has sired 18 black-type performers over the last 12 months, with Toffee Tongue (NZ) and Johnny Get Angry (NZ) both scoring at the highest level in Australia. Toffee Tongue won the Australasian Oaks (2000m), while Johnny Get Angry triumphed in last month’s Victoria Derby (2500m).

That was the latest in a long line of Derby successes for Tavistock progeny, following on from Tarzino (NZ) and Tavago (NZ), Singapore star Infantry (NZ) and Hong Kong champion Werther (NZ).

Tavistock’s overall numbers now stand at 330 winners from 509 runners, with 24 individual stakes winners.

He has sired 171 winners from 252 runners in Australia, 17 from 29 in Hong Kong, 12 from 20 in Singapore and six from 11 in Malaysia.

With chances running out to snap up his progeny, Karaka 2021 features 35 Tavistock yearlings in Book 1.

Other proven sires featuring prominently at Karaka 2021 include Charm Spirit, Deep Field, Dundeel (NZ), Fastnet Rock, Pierro, Sacred Falls (NZ), Sebring, So You Think (NZ), Written Tycoon, Zed (NZ) and Zoustar.

 

Rising Stars

Karaka 2021 could also be the perfect moment to get on board with the progeny of exciting young stallion prospects who are rising through the ranks.

 

AMERICAN PHAROAH 

In 2015, history-maker American Pharoah became the first winner of America’s Triple Crown since 1978. He later completed an unprecedented ‘grand slam’ by adding the Breeders’ Cup Classic in his final career start.

Shuttling between the United States and Australia, American Pharoah has his first two-year-olds on Australasian racetracks this season. He has already sired 82 winners in the northern hemisphere, 12 of them in black-type company including Group/Grade One winners Harvey’s Lil Goil and Europe’s champion two-year-old colt Van Gogh.

American Pharoah is the sire of five yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2021.

 

BELARDO 

Shuttle stallion Belardo has made an immediate impact with his first two-year-olds in both hemispheres. His first northern hemisphere crop produced four individual stakes winners, headed by the dual Group winner Isabella Giles. Belardo’s first New Zealand crop has started to follow suit, with Avonallo (NZ) winning the first stakes race on the New Zealand two-year-old calendar – the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton.

There are 10 Belardo yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, with another 21 in Book 2.

 

CAPITALIST 

Golden Slipper (1200m) hero Capitalist has had big numbers behind him in the early stages of his stud career, siring 670 mares across his first three seasons. His oldest progeny are now two-year-olds, and he has already sired stakes performers Marine One, Forbes, Gleneagles and Mission Value.

Capitalist has a colt and a filly catalogued in Book 1 of Karaka 2021.

 

CONTRIBUTER 

A multiple Group One winner in Sydney for Godolphin, Contributer retired to Mapperley Stud in New Zealand and has made a strong start. He has already sired eight winners, six of them in Australia. Three of his progeny have placed at stakes level, headed by Lion’s Roar (NZ) in the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).

Book 1 of Karaka 2021 features six Contributer yearlings, with five in Book 2.

 

KERMADEC

Himself a graduate of the Karaka sale ring, Kermadec (NZ) was a two-time Group One winner in Sydney and has already sired seven winners from his first crop, who are now three-year-olds. The headline act has been Montefilia, who won the Group One Flight Stakes (1600m) and Spring Champion Stakes (2000m). 

Kermadec has three yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2021.

 

PRIDE OF DUBAI

Pride of Dubai was a Group One winner in both Melbourne and Sydney as a two-year-old, capturing the Blue Diamond (1200m) and Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). Shuttling between Australia and Ireland, he has already sired 42 winners including seven individual stakes winners. Pride of Dubai was leading first season sire in Australia in 2019-20, while his first Irish crop has produced five stakes winners.

Buyers will have the chance to buy six Pride of Dubai yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2021.

 

PROISIR 

Group One-placed in Sydney’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and Randwick Guineas (1600m), Proisir has quickly become a strong-performing member of New Zealand’s stallion ranks. His 90 runners to date feature 42 winners, four of them at stakes level.

Riodini (NZ) was a Group winner in New Zealand and placed in this spring’s Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick. Levante (NZ) is one of New Zealand’s most exciting racehorses, winning five of her six starts to date including a dominant recent performance at Listed level.

There are four Proisir yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, with 16 in Book 2.

 

SWEYNESSE 

Another Group One performer in Sydney, Sweynesse crossed the Tasman for his stud career and was New Zealand’s leading first season sire in 2019-20. He has sired 11 winners, including stakes winners Bonita Aurelia (NZ), Only Words (NZ) and Brix (NZ).

Two Sweynesse yearlings feature in Book 1 of Karaka 2021, with six in Book 2.

Other promising sires to feature in the Karaka 2021 catalogues include Astern, Mongolian Khan, Preferment, Tivaci, Shalaa, Tarzino (NZ), Telperion, Toronado, Turn Me Loose (NZ), Vadamos, Vanbrugh and Wrote.

All New Zealand-based buyers and agents are welcome to attend the physical sales in person at Karaka. Registration can be completed as usual on sale days at the Sale Day office, or online.  

New Zealand-based agents are also available to complete inspections on behalf of international buyers at the on farm parades and sale complex, with phone bidding another welcomed option for buyers.

Registrations for NZB’s online bidding platform will be open shortly. Visit bidonline.nzb.co.nz and ensure you are registered and verified for online bidding 24 hours prior to the commencement of Karaka 2021.

Karaka 2021 Schedule

Karaka Million Twilight meeting: Saturday 23 January at Ellerslie

Book 1: Sunday 24 January – Tuesday 26 January

Book 2: Wednesday 27 January and Thursday 28 January