Steady trade over three days at New Zealand Bloodstock's select yearling sale moved key market indicators ahead of last year as the auction wrapped up Jan. 31 at Karaka.
Overall, 416 horses sold for total receipts of $19,224,000 (US$15,527,524), up 11.4% from last year's sale, and average price improved 6.9% to $46,212 ($37,341). Median price was steady $35,000 ($28,273).
The clearance rate of 75% rose from 71%.
Ten horses sold for $150,000 ($121,290) or more, compared with five in 2013, and 42 brought $100,000 ($80,852) or more, 13 more than last year.
The overall highest price of $200,000 ($163,407) came on day two Jan. 30 when Goodwood Stud's Savabeel colt sold to John Cameron, NZB's international sales manager, for an unnamed Hong Kong client.
The colt's extended family includes Canadian Horse of the Year Fanfreluche, dam of two-time Canadian Horse of the Year L'Enjoleur and champions Medaille d'Or and La Voygeuse.
Waikato Stud resident Savabeel was the leading sire by aggregate, with 27 horses sold for $1,554,000 ($1,256,234).
The top-priced yearling at the third and final session was a Brighthill Farm colt by Cambridge Stud's recently pensioned sire Zabeel that sold for $160,000 ($129,212). The youngster out of the Al Maher mare Al Shamekha was bought by agent John Foote for Queenland-based client Ian McCauley, and is potentially the final horse by his champion sire to be offered at Karaka.
"This colt is a good horse; he's a strong Zabeel, well-developed with a deep girth and Ian was determined to buy him," Foote said of the session topper, whose family includes group I winners Chimes of Freedom and Denon.
The leading first-season sire by average was Waikato Stud's Paco Boy. The son of Desert Style was represented by eight yearlings sold at an average of $61,750 ($49,880), placing him third among the overall leading sires in the category. Finishing a close second among first-season sires was Rich Hill Stud's Shocking. Twenty-four yearlings by the son of Street Cry (IRE) were sold for an average of $61,646 ($49,812).
White Robe Lodge resident Raise the Flag, a son of Sadler's Wells out of elite broodmare Hasili, was the sale's leading sire by average (three or more sold) at $86,667 ($70,057). His oldest offspring are 2-year-olds.
Second on the list is Waikato Stud's champion sire O'Reilly, with eight sold for an average of $73,625 ($59,515).
