The gross for the first session was up 7% and the average increased by 29%, from $97,063 to $125,614 (US$54,527). There were 178 lots offered, 44 bought back. Another 17 were listed as outs. Of those sold, 53 were headed to Australia to race.The select sale continues for two more days.
Sensational New Zealand sire Zabeel dominated the first session of the National Yearling Sale conducted by New Zealand Bloodstock Tuesday at Karaka, near Auckland. Of the $14,822,500 gross (US$6,434,151), 16 filles and colts by Zabeel accounted for $4,985,000, roughly a third of the total receipts.All four lots bringing over $400,000 were sired by Zabeel, who stands at Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud near Cambridge, New Zealand. Not surprisingly, Cambridge Stud was the leading consignors, with 13 sold for $3,002,500. Zabeel is by Sir Tristram, the former leading sire (now deceased) who put Cambridge Stud on the map. The top-priced lot was purchased by Gary Moore, former French riding champion now training in Australia. For $650,000 (US$282,152), Moore purchased a colt by Zabeel out of the unraced Fappiano mare Very Gilded.With strength at the top for the Zabeels, it made for a tough middle market, reflected by an RNA rate of 25.5%, up from the opening session a year ago of 18%.
