Vendors at the Karaka sale were pleased to see not just prominent buyers from Hong Kong included the Hong Kong Jockey Club but also Australian racing leaders such as Chris Waller, Mick Price, Ciaron Maher, Bjorn Baker and Simon Zahra.
The Impact presents a day-by-day break down of the results of the sale:
Book 1: Brendan and Jo Lindsay's first yearling draft under the Cambridge Stud banner delivered a host of highlights at the opening session. The two highest-priced yearlings of the day were both prepared by the Waikato-based nursery with the only Redoute's Choice colt (Lot 67) in the Sale fetching A$800,000 and a top-class Zoustar filly (Lot 90) knocked down for A$600,000.
Trading came from gun international buyers with Aquis Farm and Bester Bloodstock taking the Redoute's Choice colt back to the farm and powerhouse Godolphin securing the Zoustar filly to race in their royal blue colours.
The Wairarapa farm was leading the vendors' table on day-1 by average (three or more sold) with three yearlings sold at an average of A$263,333.
Waikato Stud was the leading vendor (Day 1 ) by aggregate selling 14 yearlings for A$3,150,000 in receipts. Their sires were to the fore with Pins leading the sires by the average table (three or more sold) with three lots sold at an average of A$300,000 and Champion New Zealand sire Savabeel close behind with seven lots sold at an average of A$254,286.
While the international players were out in force, local buyers competed keenly for the yearlings on offer and Te Akau Racing's David Ellis secured 12 of them, two in partnership with Fortuna Syndicate, taking his total spend at the end of Day 1 to A$2,282,500 – more than double his spend at this time last year.
Overall, the clearance rate of 76% is a strong indicator of the quality on offer.
"I would have been pleased if we had matched last year's figures and we weren't too far off," commented NZB's Managing Director Andrew Seabrook.
"The median was steady and average was up on Day 1 last year. We're expecting the clearance will improve over the coming days."
With the first 100 yearlings through the ring today, a total of 70 Lots were sold with the average closing at A$155,607 and the median A$110,000. The end of day trading reached A$10,892,500 in turnover, only slightly behind 2018 figures.
Book 2: A broad buying bench at the close of Book 2 trading has seen the key figures reach a turnover of A$9,743,000 for 246 lots sold (73% clearance rate). The average has settled at A$39,606 with the median A$30,000 for the second catalogue of the National Yearling Sales Series.
"There were some solid prices achieved and the quality of horses was of a high standard," commented New Zealand Bloodstock Managing Director Andrew Seabrook.
"The general comment from buyers has been that it was hard to purchase a nice horse with the tough competition."
Mark Pilkington was the leading purchaser spending A$501,000 for his nine horses, while Hiwi Lodge (three lots) and Lisa Latta (six lots) outlaid A$355,000 and A$345,000 respectively.
The overall Book 2 Sale-topping yearling, who is set to return to NZB's Ready to Run Sale, was offered through Westbury Stud's draft at Lot 872. The Reliable Man colt is full-brother to Group One performer Hypnos and was knocked down to the A$270,000 bid of former Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Brian Jenkins on Thursday.
It didn't take long for the highlight lot to be knocked down on the final day of Book 2 with the second yearling into the ring setting the pace at A$190,000.
Young Hong Kong-based Bloodstock Agent Robin Tai secured the Jimmy Choux colt (Lot 902) under his RT Racing brand from the draft of Trelawney Stud and plans to leave the son of Group Three-winning mare Seven Schillings, and half-brother to current stakes winner Emily Margaret, in New Zealand for the immediate future.
"He is a very strong colt with a good temperament," Tai said. "We were underbidder three times earlier, so we are very pleased to get him as it has been a strong Sale for the ones we liked."
Book 2's leading vendor by aggregate was topped by Haunui Farm who sold their entire 20-lot draft for receipts of A$1,050,000. Westbury Stud was second on the leader board with 17 lots sold for a turnover of A$932,500, while Little Avondale Stud rounded out the top three by aggregate selling 10 lots for A$690,500.
A different story was told on the leading vendor by the average table (three or more sold) with Highden Park reaching the highest average at A$76,667 with a 100% clearance for their draft. Trelawney Stud, selling three lots, reached an average of A$72,000, while Little Avondale Stud rounded out the top end again with an average of A$69,050.
Per Incanto remained the leading sire by average (three or more sold) with 12 of his progeny selling at an average of A$71,500. Jimmy Choux, who provided the highlight lot today, sold four lots at an average of A$67,250, while first season sire Nostradamus made the top three have sold at an average of A$56,833 for the three lots on offer at the Sale.
Book 3: North Island-based first season sires were to the fore on Sunday with 179 lots going under the hammer at the Book 3 session of New Zealand Bloodstock's National Yearling Sales Series.
With 123 lots sold (69%) for a turnover of A$1,229,250, the average reached A$9,994 and the median A$7,000.
"Overall, trade is back on last year as the industry works towards improving the state of racing in New Zealand," commented NZB's Bloodstock Sales Manager Danny Rolston.
Within the first half hour of trading, Lot 1090, the Sweynesse filly out of Tavistock mare Happy Endings, entered the sale ring and provided a top price of A$50,000.
The granddaughter of four-time Group One winner Snap was offered through the draft of Brighthill Farm and was knocked down to the bid of international Bloodstock Agent Paul Moroney who purchased in partnership with the New Zealand Chinese Jockey Club.
Moroney thought she was the standout yearling of the Book 3 session and was pleased to secure her for his first-time clients.
"When you see a filly like that with the pedigree she has, we try and get them bought and fortunately Alan (Fu) from the New Zealand Chinese Jockey Club was happy to back our judgment," he said.
"They purchased her to be a prospect for the Karaka Million next year and I think she is well worthy of having been bought for that purpose because she looks like she could be like her granddam and get up and do it at two."
Novara Park Stud's Sweynesse topped the leading sire by the aggregate table with seven yearlings sold for A$101,750.
The second-highest-priced yearling today was reached with Lot 1265, a colt by Grangewilliam Stud's resident sire The Bold One, who fetched A$28,000 from the bid of Shane Crawford's Regal Farm Partnership operation.
Long Acres Stud was the leading vendor by aggregate, selling 100% of their draft for receipts of A$100,000, while Hallmark Stud was the leading vendor by average (three or more sold) selling all three of their lots at an average of A$15,333.
The leading sire by average (three or more sold) was Westbury Stud's Redwood who traded six lots at an average of A$14,833. His highest price at Book 3 was set by Lot 1124, with Westbury consigning the colt who sold for A$25,000 to Greene Racing.
Overall, Dean Wiles was the leading purchaser having secured 11 lots for A$83,500 under his banner Warrior Stables. Whanganui-based trainer Kevin Myers secured eight horses for A$78,000, while Matamata-based trainer Jim Collett rounded out the top three purchasers having outlaid A$51,000 for three yearlings under his JC Thoroughbreds operation.