The miners from Queensland went home on Tuesday, but their advisers stayed and they ended up with another eight well-bred horses as day two of the premier portion of the New Zealand National yearling sale at Karaka concluded. Their arrival to the buying scene should have been the story but the massive records set by Karaka in every department dominated even him.
Nonetheless, Les and Nathan Tinkler, the miners who sold their Queensland property that housed a truckload of iron ore under it for a reported US$300 million and who spent NZ$5 million of it on day one, reached in and spent another NZ$2.9 million on day two. Their biggest purchase, at NZ$680,000, was a big bay filly prepared for sale by Curraghmore Stud, which sells many Coolmore bred yearlings. And this was one of them. She is by Encosta de Lago from the Indian Ridge mare Rose Pampadour.
It is a great English family. Rose Pampadour is a half-sister to Rose of Jericho who is the dam of international group I winners and sires Dr Devious and Shinko King, Archway, and Royal Court. On top of that Rose Pampadour's first foal by Fasliyev is stakes placed.
Anthony Cummings, a renowned outstanding judge, bought the yearling on behalf of the Tinklers and will train the filly.
But top price on the day went to the bid of the hottest trainer in New Zealand at present, John Sargeant. He paid NZ$1,450,000 (approximately $1.2 million in U.S. funds) for a colt by Redoute's Choice from the multiple group I winner Popsy (by Sir Tristram).
Sam Kelt, the multimillionaire who sponsors New Zealand's richest race the Kelt Capital to the tune of NZ$2million, owns Popsy. She is the dam of six winners, including stakes winner Lilakyn.
It is not known for whom Sargeant purchased the colt, which was bred in Australia and raised in New Zealand.
There were many astute horsemen watching the auction of this colt, who has a nice potential stallion pedigree. Among them were David Hayes, Demi O'Byrne, Adrian Nicholl, and Patrick Biancone.
The great Zabeel continued to rule the roost with many offerings on day two, a pair of them reaching above NZ$500,000. One of them was sold to Anthony Cummings who was buying for the Tinklers -- a colt from the mare Silk Slipper who is by Woodman. The colt, which fetched NZ$575,000 hails from the same female line as the group I winners Umatilla, Platinum Scissors, Al Maher, Hurricane Sky, and Redoute's Choice.
Karaka's premier two-day sale ended as it was hoped, with a record in every category. For example, the average last year was $152,000. This year's median was higher than that on day one and ended up at a record NZ$150,000.
The average for the sale ended right on NZ$200,000 - up by NZ$50,000 on last year while the selling rate was a healthy 85.62%. The gross forthe 387 yearlings sold was also a record: NZ$77,115,500.
"I am relieved and blown away by how successful this sale was this year," said New Zealand general manager Petea Vela, who had been concerned about the equine influenza situation in Australia and how that would effect the buying bench
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Highview Stud's owner Brent Gillovick, who stood the impressive U.S.-based Johar at stud and who sold his debut progeny for an average of NZ$76,000, was delighted, too.
"Every vendor has walked away with a smile on their face," he said. "This is the best sale New Zealand has ever seen in terms of strength and median. No-one is unhappy."
