Stravinsky Filly Stars on Day One at Karaka

Stravinsky Filly Stars on Day One at Karaka

A mixed day's trade at the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock's 86th National Yearling Sales Series today was highlighted by the fourth to last lot of the day - the $740,000 Stravinsky filly bought by leading New Zealand buyer David Ellis of Te Akau Stud at Lot 256.

The filly from Cambridge Stud was out of Magic of Sydney mare Jesmond's Gift, an unraced half-sister to Canny Lad and Canny Lass.

"She is a beautiful filly with a lovely outlook and a lot of class and we are thrilled to be training her," commented Ellis on his purchase. "You have got to be prepared to pay for the best fillies and we were prepared to do that today.

lot 256
Stravinsky filly Lot 256 topped Day 1 of NZB's Premier Sale

"She was a bought for a very good client who has had many fillies with Te Akau over the past 20 years.

"Stravinsky is a very good international sire of fillies and we are going to aim her for the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series, which Te Akau has a great record with having won four of the last six titles."

David Ellis was the leading buyer of the day with 14 purchased for $2,402,500 at an average of $171,607. His second top price was $200,000 paid for Lot 46, the Danehill Dancer colt from Thunder Gulch mare Anatomy - a half-sister to Saturday's Group 2 Wellington Cup winner Six O'Clock News (Zabeel) - offered by Pencarrow Stud.

Cambridge Stud sire Stravinsky - the sire of 8 Group 1 winners worldwide, 5 in Australasia - sits in second place on the leading sires table for the day, with six yearlings sold for an average of $252,500. Heading him off for the top spot was Coolmore Stud sire Encosta de Lago, with three sold at an average of $280,000, with a top price of $350,000 paid for Lot 66.

For much of the day it was a pair of yearlings by High Chaparral that were sharing the limelight, with the colt and filly fetching $650,000 apiece.

The first came at Lot 130, when the Lyndhurst Park colt from Creil (Frenchpark) was knocked down to the bid of Hong Kong agent Willie Leung for Hong Kong owner Mr WK Lee.

"We thought he was the best High Chaparral in the Sale and we were very keen to get him. Mr Lee wants a tough stayer and has been looking for a long time for a horse like this," commented Leung.

"We paid a premium to get him but in order to get such a quality horse that is sometimes necessary.

"The horse will remain in New Zealand for at least 18 months for training and we will race him here in New Zealand before deciding whether he is good enough to send to Hong Kong."

Less than an hour later the filly from the five-time winning Danehill mare Diamond Like was snapped up by Gai Waterhouse & James Harron Bloodstock shortly after the filly was passed through the ring.

A half-sister to the $2 million 2010 Karaka sale-topper, the filly was offered by Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud.

High Chaparral is the most represented of any sire at the 2012 Premier Sale, with 35 yearlings entered from his last New Zealand conceived crop. So far today 25 have sold for an average of $200,800.

With a huge international buying bench turned out at Karaka, competition was tough on selected lots, but in a similar trend to many sales of late, buyers were being selective. By the close of play, 170 lots had sold for $24,817,500, at an average of $145,985 and clearance of 70%.

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Andrew Seabrook says while the market has taken its time to heat up today, NZB anticipates a stronger day tomorrow.

"There is no lack of firepower to the buying bench with good horses attracting plenty of competition, but the market is taking a bit of time to settle into a steady pace. Many buyers are taking a wait and see approach, and from what I'm told, several leading buyers have their favourite horses in tomorrow. Like Magic Millions, which picked up significantly on the second day, we would expect to see improvement here tomorrow."

With two of the day's top prices, the leading vendor by aggregate was Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud with 19 yearlings sold for $4,517,500 at an average of $237,763. The leading vendor by average so far is Mark & Shelley Treweek's Lyndhurst Farm with four yearlings sold for an average of $377,500.

The Premier Sale continues tomorrow at Karaka with Lots 217 to 516 from 10am. This will be followed by the three-day Select Sale from Wednesday at 11am. All days will be streamed live online at http://www.nzb.co.nz/.

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