Stravinsky Filly Stars on Day One at Karaka

30 January 2012

A mixed day's trade at the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock's 86th National Yearling Sales Series today was highlighted by the fourth to last lot of the day - the $740,000 Stravinsky filly bought by leading New Zealand buyer David Ellis of Te Akau Stud at Lot 256.

The filly from Cambridge Stud was out of Magic of Sydney mare Jesmond's Gift, an unraced half-sister to Canny Lad and Canny Lass.

"She is a beautiful filly with a lovely outlook and a lot of class and we are thrilled to be training her," commented Ellis on his purchase. "You have got to be prepared to pay for the best fillies and we were prepared to do that today.

lot 256

Stravinsky filly Lot 256 topped Day 1 of NZB's Premier Sale

"She was a bought for a very good client who has had many fillies with Te Akau over the past 20 years.

"Stravinsky is a very good international sire of fillies and we are going to aim her for the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, which Te Akau has a great record with having won four of the last six titles."

David Ellis was the leading buyer of the day with 14 purchased for $2,402,500 at an average of $171,607. His second top price was $200,000 paid for Lot 46, the Danehill Dancer colt from Thunder Gulch mare Anatomy - a half-sister to Saturday's Group 2 Wellington Cup winner Six O'Clock News (Zabeel) - offered by Pencarrow Stud.

Cambridge Stud sire Stravinsky - the sire of 8 Group 1 winners worldwide, 5 in Australasia - sits in second place on the leading sires table for the day, with six yearlings sold for an average of $252,500. Heading him off for the top spot was Coolmore Stud sire Encosta de Lago, with three sold at an average of $280,000, with a top price of $350,000 paid for Lot 66.

For much of the day it was a pair of yearlings by High Chaparral that were sharing the limelight, with the colt and filly fetching $650,000 apiece.

The first came at Lot 130, when the Lyndhurst Park colt from Creil (Frenchpark) was knocked down to the bid of Hong Kong agent Willie Leung for Hong Kong owner Mr WK Lee.

"We thought he was the best High Chaparral in the Sale and we were very keen to get him. Mr Lee wants a tough stayer and has been looking for a long time for a horse like this," commented Leung.

"We paid a premium to get him but in order to get such a quality horse that is sometimes necessary.

"The horse will remain in New Zealand for at least 18 months for training and we will race him here in New Zealand before deciding whether he is good enough to send to Hong Kong."

Less than an hour later the filly from the five-time winning Danehill mare Diamond Like was snapped up by Gai Waterhouse & James Harron Bloodstock shortly after the filly was passed through the ring.

A half-sister to the $2 million 2010 Karaka sale-topper, the filly was offered by Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud.

High Chaparral is the most represented of any sire at the 2012 Premier Sale, with 35 yearlings entered from his last New Zealand conceived crop. So far today 25 have sold for an average of $200,800.

With a huge international buying bench turned out at Karaka, competition was tough on selected lots, but in a similar trend to many sales of late, buyers were being selective. By the close of play, 170 lots had sold for $24,817,500, at an average of $145,985 and clearance of 70%.

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Andrew Seabrook says while the market has taken its time to heat up today, NZB anticipates a stronger day tomorrow.

"There is no lack of firepower to the buying bench with good horses attracting plenty of competition, but the market is taking a bit of time to settle into a steady pace. Many buyers are taking a wait and see approach, and from what I'm told, several leading buyers have their favourite horses in tomorrow. Like Magic Millions, which picked up significantly on the second day, we would expect to see improvement here tomorrow."

With two of the day's top prices, the leading vendor by aggregate was Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud with 19 yearlings sold for $4,517,500 at an average of $237,763. The leading vendor by average so far is Mark & Shelley Treweek's Lyndhurst Farm with four yearlings sold for an average of $377,500.

The Premier Sale continues tomorrow at Karaka with Lots 217 to 516 from 10am. This will be followed by the three-day Select Sale from Wednesday at 11am. All days will be streamed live online at http://www.nzb.co.nz/.

For a list of today's Passed Lots click here.

2012 Premier Sale Day Statistics Day 1

2012 Day 1

2011 Day 1

Average

$145,985

$165,894

Aggregate

$24,817,500

$29,861,00

Median

$120,000

$130,000

Lots Catalogued

260

253

Lots Sold

170

180

Clearance Rate

70%

75%

2012 Top price - Stravinsky x Jesmonds Gift (Lot 256) - $740,000

2011 Top price - Danehill Dancer x Ballycairn Colt (Lot 179) - $800,000

2012 Premier Sale Day 1 Top Lots

Lot

Type

Breeding

Vendor

Purchaser

Price

256

Ch F

Stravinsky / Jesmonds Gift

Cambridge Stud

Mr DC Ellis

$740,000

130

BR. C

High Chaparral / Creil

Lyndhurst Farm

Mr WK Lee

$650,000

159

B. F

High Chaparral / Diamond Like

Cambridge Stud

Gai Waterhouse/James Harron Bloodstock

$650,000

152

B. C

Zabeel / Dawninsky

Cambridge Stud

Hawkes Racing

$420,000

69

B. C

High Chaparral / Barrachdail Lass

Windsor Park Stud

John Chalmers Bloodstock Services PtyLtd

$400,000

79

B. F

Zabeel / Better Alternative

Cambridge Stud

Bahen Bloodstock/Malua Racing

$400,000

120

B. C

Stravinsky / Clarissa

Curraghmore Stud

Waikato Bloodstock Ltd

$380,000

240

B. F

Zabeel / Howmuchyacharging

Fairdale Stud

Phill Cataldo Bloodstock

$380,000

245

Ch F

More Than Ready / Imananabaa

Lyndhurst Farm

Mr BJ & Mrs J Lindsay

$370,000

119

B. C

High Chaparral / Clarens

Windsor Park Stud

Mr JB Cummings

$360,000

Leading Purchasers by Aggregate

Purchaser

Location

Bought

Aggregate

Average

Top Price

Mr DC Ellis

Te Akau

14

$2,402,500

$171,607

$740,000 (Lot 256)

Mr JB Cummings

New South Wales

6

$1,265,000

$210,833

$360,000 (Lot 119)

The Hong Kong Jockey Club

Hong Kong

6

$1,220,000

$203,333

$350,000 (Lot 66)

John Chalmers Bloodstock Services PtyLtd

Western Australia

6

$1,182,500

$197,083

$400,000 (Lot 69)

Gai Waterhouse/James Harron Bloodstock

New South Wales

3

$1,070,000

$356,667

$650,000 (Lot 159)

DGR Thoroughbred Services

New South Wales

6

$852,500

$142,083

$270,000 (Lot 143)

Hawkes Racing

New South Wales

3

$810,000

$270,000

$420,000 (Lot 152)

Mr WK Lee

Hong Kong

1

$650,000

$650,000

$650,000 (Lot 130)

New Zealand Bloodstock Ltd

Hong Kong

4

$555,000

$138,750

$215,000 (Lot 7)

Mulcaster Bloodstock

New South Wales

2

$470,000

$235,000

$300,000 (Lot 61)

Leading Vendors by Aggregate

Vendor Name

Sold

Aggregate

Average

Top Price

Cambridge Stud

19

$4,517,500

$237,763

$740,000 (Lot 256)

Windsor Park Stud

18

$2,502,500

$139,028

$400,000 (Lot 69)

Curraghmore Stud

11

$2,105,000

$191,364

$380,000 (Lot 120)

Lyndhurst Farm

4

$1,510,000

$377,500

$650,000 (Lot 130)

Haunui Farm

10

$1,335,000

$133,500

$220,000 (Lot 208)

Waikato Stud Ltd

10

$1,075,000

$107,500

$170,000 (Lot 224)

Little Avondale Stud

6

$975,000

$162,500

$270,000 (Lot 135)

Pencarrow Stud

7

$955,000

$136,429

$215,000 (Lot 7)

Trelawney Stud Ltd

7

$905,000

$129,286

$230,000 (Lot 177)

Rich Hill Stud

7

$792,500

$113,214

$230,000 (Lot 205)

Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold)

Vendor Name

Sold

Average

Aggregate

Top Price

Lyndhurst Farm

4

$377,500

$1,510,000

$650,000 (Lot 130)

Cambridge Stud

19

$237,763

$4,517,500

$740,000 (Lot 256)

Curraghmore Stud

11

$191,364

$2,105,000

$380,000 (Lot 120)

Phoenix Park

3

$170,000

$510,000

$280,000 (Lot 182)

Little Avondale Stud

6

$162,500

$975,000

$270,000 (Lot 135)

Windsor Park Stud

18

$139,028

$2,502,500

$400,000 (Lot 69)

Pencarrow Stud

7

$136,429

$955,000

$215,000 (Lot 7)

Haunui Farm

10

$133,500

$1,335,000

$220,000 (Lot 208)

Trelawney Stud Ltd

7

$129,286

$905,000

$230,000 (Lot 177)

Hallmark Stud

5

$122,500

$612,500

$210,000 (Lot 148)

Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold)

Sire

Sold

Average

Aggregate

Top Price

Encosta de Lago

3

$280,000

$840,000

$350,000 (Lot 66)

Stravinsky

6

$252,500

$1,515,000

$740,000 (Lot 256)

Zabeel

12

$224,167

$2,690,000

$420,000 (Lot 152)

High Chaparral

25

$200,800

$5,020,000

$650,000 (Lot 130, 159)

Exceed and Excel

3

$198,333

$595,000

$300,000 (Lot 68)

Savabeel

7

$154,286

$1,080,000

$280,000 (Lot 182)

Danehill Dancer

3

$150,000

$450,000

$200,000 (Lot 46)

Pentire

8

$145,938

$1,167,500

$270,000 (Lot 135)

Pins

6

$137,500

$825,000

$215,000 (Lot 7)

O'Reilly

15

$112,000

$1,680,000

$270,000 (Lot 13)