And so the record setting continues. As the fourth day of the New Zealand National Yearling Sale at Karaka ended, bringing down the curtain on day two of the Select portion of the sale, records fell in all categories yet again.
Leading the charge was the top price paid for a colt by freshman sire Scaredee Cat, a troubled but powerful sprinter on his day who won in Australia up to group 11 level, who now stands at Waikato Stud. The colt was from the Mi Preferido mare My Kinda Girl, a nine-time winner and dam of just one to race. Offered by Valachi Downs of Matamata, the colt was purchased by Auckland owner Peter Walker for NZ$300,000 (U.S$221,000).
The previous record price at this section of the sale was NZ$230,000, set last year by the No Excuse Needed colt from the Centaine mare Cymbidium. So far this year that figure has been equalled three times and surpassed by another three hips.
Fellow Waikato Stud sire, O'Reilly, had two sell for $230,000 on day four. And hip 898 was purchased by Singapore buyer Jayven See for NZ$280,000. It was a colt by O'Reilly from the Masterclass mare Poppies Last who was a low key winner. This was a lovely colt whose conformation was better than his female line.
Patrick Biancone was active again. He paid NZ$75,000 for a colt by fellow Aussie bred freshman sire Dane Shadow (Danehill-Slight Chance) from the What A Guest mare Lady Guest. This was a handsome rangy black colt, almost perfect in conformation, and the only one by his sire in the entire book.
"All my horses I have bought at this sale will stay in New Zealand for a year then will come to the U.S. to me for breaking and a preparartion," explained Biancone. "After that we will determine whether they will stay and race in America or be moved on to Hong Kong. It just depends on where they will be best suited. But a good horse is a good horse anywhere and the ones I have bought here are very strong boned."
Biancone said he would most likely attend the upcoming Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast in Australia in March also.
He has purchased at least one horse on every day of the sale thus far. And the soaring prices have been indicative of the strength of the sale. For instance, at the Select portion last year, just one yearling made over $200,000. So far this year, with a day to go, there has been 13 to breach that mark. And the total receipts from the first four days of selling is already past the entire seven days of selling from last year - which was a record!
With one-day of the Select Sale to go, turnover is currently NZ$20,405,000 for 326 lots sold, with the all-important median at NZ$50,000, and the average ending the day at NZ$62,592. The clearance rate has held steady at a healthy 80%. all these figures better last year's records.
Leading the buyers table is Paul Moroney Bloodstock with 10 bought for NZ$912,000, including his highest priced purchase, Lot 571 a bay filly by Pentire from the Zabeel mare Close Embrace for NZ$200,000.
Currently leading the sires table is Coolmore Stud's first season sire Lion Heart who has sold three yearlings for an average of NZ$183,333, one of which was bought by Biancone. Palmerston North based Michael Breslin bought the son of Tale of the Cat's highest priced lot, a chestnut filly (Lot 700) from Lyndhurst Farm for NZ$230,000.
