A Swiss Ace colt sold for $125,000 (US$105,663) Feb. 3 at Karaka, a record price for New Zealand Bloodstock's Festival yearling sale.
The top price came at the opening session of the Festival sale, which was expanded to two days this year. The figure surpassed the previous top price of $110,000 NZ for an Elusive City colt sold in 2010.
Rogerson Bloodstock purchased the record-priced colt, who is out of the Hussonet mare Eclaircissement, a half sister to multiple stakes winner Illuminates. He was offered by Westbury Stud, which stands freshman sire Swiss Ace, an Australian group I winner by Secret Savings.
"I trained Illuminates and she was a good horse," Graeme Rogerson said.
"I thought he was the nicest horse here today, but I didn't think I would have to go that high for him."
The first session saw 131 horses sell for total receipts of $1,586,950 (US$1,341,449). The average price was $12,114 (US$10,240) and the median was $8,500 (US$7,185). The clearance rate was 67%.
The final session of the Festival sale, which concludes the seven-day National yearling sales series, is set for Feb. 4 beginning at 11 a.m. local time.