Strong on Sire Power at Karaka 2014

A strong contingent of over 130 of the best sires from Australia and New Zealand will showcase their young stock at Karaka 2014, with a comprehensive selection of proven, up-and-coming and first season sires set to feature throughout Sale week.

Waikato Stud's O'Reilly.

Of the elite sires in Australasia that can claim at least 7% stakeswinners to runners throughout their careers, all 10 are represented at Karaka, by over 200 yearlings, to strongly underpin the Sale. Amongst those 10 are four that stand in New Zealand – O’Reilly, Savabeel, Pins and Zabeel – all having their largest representation this sales season at Karaka.

New Zealand sires won a host of premiership titles last season across Australia, New Zealand, Hong and Singapore.

NEW ZEALAND

In a remarkable feat, O’Reilly took a clean sweep of all three NZ sire awards in 2013, and currently leads the New Zealand sires list once again this season. The Waikato Stud sire is the sire of 70 stakes winners including last season’s Group 1 winners Sacred Falls and Shamexpress.

The New Zealand-bred sire has 54 well-related yearlings at Karaka 2014 that includes:

• the son of Group 1 winner Grand Echezeaux (Lot 35), who is also the dam of hot young sire Darci Brahma,
• a full-brother to another exciting young sire Alamosa (Lot 107)
• progeny of stakes winning mares Lafleur (Lot 90), Etoile du Nord (Lot 466) and Shikoba (Lot 249) among the 11 stakes winning mares with offspring by the sire.

Waikato Stud sire Savabeel has been in a purple patch of form this season, siring nine individual stakes winners with a stakes winners to runners ratio of 5.5%, the best strike rate in Australasia. The son of Zabeel is represented by 79 yearlings at Karaka 2014 including the progeny of Group 1 winners Glamour Puss (Lot 28) and Legs (Lot 100) among 32 progeny or siblings of stakes winners by the stallion.

The last full crop of Thorn Park will be on offer at Karaka 2014 with a very limited number of foals on the ground from the sire’s last crop. The Windsor Park stallion achieved great things in his short career as the sire of five Group 1 winners of 17 Group 1 races from only seven crops of racing age. 41 yearlings will go under the hammer by the sire at Karaka 2014 featuring a colt out of Group 1 winner The Jewel (Lot 305) and half-brother to dual Group 1 sprinter Gee I Jane (Lot 133).

Last season’s leading Second Season Sire in New Zealand was Iffraaj (by Zafonic), the sire of New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Series victor Fix. The Haunui Stud sire has 45 Lots catalogued at Karaka 2014 including the progeny of stakes winners Naturo (Lot 152) and Danasia (Lot 433).

Young sire Alamosa (by O’Reilly)has made a great start to his stud career being crowned the Champion First Season Sire last season, and already landing a Group 1 victory with his daughter Kirramosa triumphant in the Group 1 VRC Oaks. There are 24 yearlings catalogued by the son of O’Reilly including a half-brother to Group 1 winner Black Mamba (Lot 258) out of Group 3 winning mare Sneetch.

Currently leading the First Season Sires’ table for this season is Mastercraftsman (by Danehill Dancer). He has already sired two individual winners including the stakes winner Jackofall who sits at the top of the order of entry for the Karaka Million and has a full-sister in the Premier Sale catalogued at Lot 339.

Another exciting young sire is Thewayyouare (by Kingmambo), also the sire of two winners from his first crop from only four runners including Way In, a leading contender for the Karaka Million. Thewayyouare has 19 yearlings catalogued at Karaka 2014 featuring a half-brother to dual Horse of the Year Xcellent (Lot 468).

The leading sire in Hong Kong last season was Pins thanks to largely to Group 1 Hong Kong Mile winner Ambitious Dragon. A three-quarter brother to Ambitious Dragon (Lot 345) will be a feature Lot among his 41 entries.

The recently finished racing season in Singapore saw Darci Brahma become the leading sire for the second successive year. He sired the greatest number of winners, headed by Horse of the Year Super Easy. The Oaks Stud’s resident sire is represented by a half-brother to Group 1 Telegraph Handicap winner Guiseppina (Lot 376) among his 52 entries.

Super-sire Zabeel is represented by the last of his young stock, following his retirement from stud duties in December. For a full profile of his exciting last crop at Karaka 2014, click here.

The Premier Sale’s New Zealand sire selection also includes the likes of Bachelor Duke, Guillotine, Keeper, Nom du Jeu, Pentire, Sakhee’s Secret, Swiss Ace, Stravinsky and Tavistock.

AUSTRALIA

Australia’s Champion Sire of last season Exceed and Excel is also well-represented at Karaka 2014 with eight yearlings in the Premier Sale. The first foal of Group 1 Railway Handicap winner Miss Raggedy Ann (Lot 138) headlines the strong group that includes progeny of well-related Household (Lot 49), Quick Notice (Lot 205), With Fervour (Lot 338) and County Mayo (Lot 427).

Sire of the moment Fastnet Rock topped Karaka 2013 with a colt out of Celebria that fetched $1,975,000 and has contenders for the top spot again. The Coolmore Stud sire is once again represented by a strong collection of 17 yearlings, including the first foal out of dual Group 1 winner Katie Lee (Lot 73).

A sire with a particular affinity with New Zealand is High Chaparral. The former Windsor Park sire now resides in Australia and has 23 yearlings at Karaka 2014. From the stallion’s first New Zealand crop he sired Group 1 winners So You Think, Monaco Consul, Descarado and Shoot Out and in his last New Zealand crop he left current star (It’s a) Dundeel.

Among High Chaparral’s quality yearlings in the Premier Sale will be a three-quarter-sister So You Think (Lot 97), a daughter of Group 1 winner Calveen (Lot 402), and a filly out of Group 2 winner Star Affair (Lot 274) who has already left two stakes winners in Solid Billing and Thy.

Other sires represented at Karaka 2014 include Authorized, Bel Esprit, Bernardini, Casino Prince, Charge Forward, Choisir, Commands, Denman, Duke of Marmalade, Duporth, Encosta de Lago, Flying Spur, Galileo, Lonhro, Manhattan Rain, Medaglia d’Oro, More Than Ready, Northern Meteor, Not a Single Doubt, Onemorenomore, Redoute’s Choice, Sebring, Snitzel, Starcraft, Stratum, Street Cry, Teofilo, Testa Rossa, Wanted and many more.

New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka will be held from Monday 27 January to Sunday 2 February. To view the catalogues online visit www.nzb.co.nz.