Solid Start to Karaka 2009

Solid Start to Karaka 2009

It's been a solid start to the 83rd National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka today, with the first of the 503 horses catalogued at the Premier Sale going under the hammer.

As anticipated, figures have taken a dip on last year's record results, with a Day One average of $150,136 (25% decrease as against a final Premier Sale average in 2008 of $199,265), a median of $100,000 (down 33% from $150,000 in 2008) and a clearance rate of 73% (down from a final clearance of 86% in 2008). Turnover for the day is $25,973,500.

Managing Director Sales & Marketing Petrea Vela said the company was pleased with the day's trade.

"Before the sale began today the general expectation was that, given the current economic environment and the record-breaking sale last year, if we could produce something close to the 2007 figures then the sales would be deemed a success. So far we're on target for that to be the case so we're pleased with how it has started.

"By all accounts it's hard to buy a good horse, with buyers selective in their purchasing but strong competition on the desirable lots. We'd like the clearance rate to improve a bit, but with vendors realistic in their expectations we'd expect to see that as the Premier session progresses."
The 2008 Karaka Sale was up 36% on turnover and median from 2007, and 27% on average.

Karaka Premier Sale Day 1 sale-topper, Lot 7.

The top price of the day came in the very first run with the colt by Encosta de Lago at Lot 7 fetching $800,000. Offered by Lyndhurst Farm, the colt from the four-time Group 1 winning racemare Giovana (Blues Traveller) was knocked down to Matamata trainer Lance Noble and his wife, Leigh.
"We're really chuffed to have secured him. He's a magnificent colt and I think we were lucky to get him for that price. I've got a great group of backers and once we've tidied up the last shares we'll get together and map out a plan for him," commented Lance.

The results sheets reflect that the most active buyers on Day One have been New Zealand buyers, David Ellis of Te Akau Racing, with seven purchased for $2,265,000, and a top price of $700,000 paid for Lot 98, the Redoute's Choice colt from Sunday Silence mare, Love Connection, offered by Pencarrow Stud.
The second leading buyer so far is the Hong Kong Jockey Club with 11 purchases for $1,935,000.

Mark Player representing the Hong Kong Jockey Club says it was a competitive market at Karaka.

"When we were inspecting horses on the sales grounds before selling started there was a general feeling that the quality here is up on last year, and as we're buying it's proving to be a strong sale.

"There's very competitive bidding on the lots we're interested in and good horses are hard to buy. We're delighted with the eleven we've managed to secure so far."

Currently the leading vendor by average is Gordon Cunningham's Curraghmore Stud with 10 horses sold today for an average price of $288,000. Their top price was fetched by Lot 209, a $650,000 Redoute's Choice filly that went to the bid of Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock.

Cambridge Stud head the vendors by aggregate with 25 lots sold for $4,272,500 and Lot 132, the Zabeel x Miss Powerbird colt fetching their highest price at $510,000 to the bid of David Ellis.

2009 Premier Sale Statistics - Day 1
2009 Day 1 Overall 2008
Average $150,136 $199,265
Aggregate $25,973,500 $77,115,500
Median $100,000 $150,000
Lots Catalogued 252 494
Lots Sold 173 387
Clearance Rate 73% 85%
2009 Day 1 Top Price - Encosta de Lago x Giovana Colt (Lot 7) $800,000
2008 Top Price - Redoute's Choice x Popsy Colt (Lot 299) $1,450,000
Day 1 Top Ten Lots
Lot Type Breeding Vendor Purchaser Price
7 B.C Encosta de Lago / Giovana LYNDHURST FARM MR LR & MRS L NOBLE (Matamata) $800,000
85 B.C Redoute's Choice / La Sizeranne TRELAWNEY STUD MR RA JAMES (Cambridge) $700,000
98 B.C Redoute's Choice / Love Connection PENCARROW STUD MR DC ELLIS (Te Akau) $700,000
209 B/BR.F Redoute's Choice / Sarah Vee CURRAGHMORE STUD DEAN HAWTHORNE BLOODSTOCK (VIC) $650,000
132 B.C Zabeel / Miss Power Bird CAMBRIDGE STUD MR DC ELLIS (Te Akau) $510,000
18 B.F Redoute's Choice / Grace and Power PENCARROW STUD MR MJ FREEDMAN (VIC) $500,000
242 C.F Stravinsky / Smiling Like CAMBRIDGE STUD MS DG PRICE (NSW) $420,000
37 B.C Encosta de Lago / Howkudai CURRAGHMORE STUD MR DC ELLIS (Te Akau) $400,000
129 B.F Oratorio / Miss Jessie Jay HALLMARK STUD BRUCE PERRY BLOODSTOCK (Masterton) $375,000
128 B.C Encosta de Lago / Miss Helga CURRAGHMORE STUD HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB (Hong Kong) $360,000
Day 1 Top Ten Purchasers
Purchaser Bought Aggregate Average Top Price
MR DC ELLIS 7 $2,265,000 $323,571 $700,000
HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB 11 $1,935,000 $175,909 $360,000
DEAN HAWTHORNE BLOODSTOCK 5 $1,365,000 $273,000 $650,000
MR RA JAMES 5 $1,020,000 $204,000 $700,000
MR LR & MRS L NOBLE 1 $800,000 $800,000 $800,000
BRUCE PERRY BLOODSTOCK 4 $765,000 $191,250 $375,000
MR JB CUMMINGS 4 $725,000 $181,250 $310,000
MS DG PRICE 3 $670,000 $223,333 $420,000
MR DANNY O'BRIEN 6 $667,500 $111,250 $300,000
JOHN O'SHEA BLOODSTOCK PTY 3 $650,000 $216,667 $350,000
Day 1 Top Ten Vendors by Aggregate
Vendor Sold Aggregate Average Top Price
CAMBRIDGE STUD 25 $4,272,500 $170,900 $510,000
CURRAGHMORE STUD 10 $2,880,000 $288,000 $650,000
PENCARROW STUD 10 $2,700,000 $270,000 $700,000
TRELAWNEY STUD 13 $2,542,500 $195,577 $700,000
WAIKATO STUD 19 $2,230,000 $117,368 $300,000
LYNDHURST FARM 6 $1,280,000 $213,333 $800,000
ESKER LODGE 6 $1,250,000 $208,333 $325,000
HAUNUI FARM 9 $1,145,000 $127,222 $250,000
WINDSOR PARK STUD 13 $1,095,000 $84,231 $230,000
LITTLE AVONDALE STUD 5 $655,000 $131,000 $220,000
Day 1 Top Ten Vendors by Average (3 or more sold)
Vendor Sold Average Aggregate Top Price
CURRAGHMORE STUD 10 $288,000 $2,880,000 $650,000
PENCARROW STUD 10 $270,000 $2,700,000 $700,000
LYNDHURST FARM 6 $213,333 $1,280,000 $800,000
ESKER LODGE 6 $208,333 $1,250,000 $325,000
TRELAWNEY STUD 13 $195,577 $2,542,500 $700,000
CAMBRIDGE STUD 25 $170,900 $4,272,500 $510,000
WESTBURY STUD 4 $148,750 $595,000 $220,000
LITTLE AVONDALE STUD 5 $131,000 $655,000 $220,000
HAUNUI FARM 9 $127,222 $1,145,000 $250,000
WENTWOOD GRANGE 5 $123,000 $615,000 $310,000
Day 1 Top Ten Sires by Average (3 or more sold)
Sire Sold Average Aggregate Top Price
Redoute's Choice 4 $637,500 $2,550,000 $700,000
Encosta de Lago 5 $387,000 $1,935,000 $800,000
Zabeel 12 $255,417 $3,065,000 $510,000
Hussonet 3 $203,333 $610,000 $280,000
Exceed and Excel 6 $198,333 $1,190,000 $300,000
Danehill Dancer 5 $168,000 $840,000 $260,000
Fastnet Rock 5 $158,500 $792,500 $260,000
Stravinsky 16 $155,063 $2,481,000 $420,000
Starcraft 4 $145,000 $580,000 $180,000
Pins 21 $128,810 $2,705,000 $300,000

Day two of the Karaka Premier Sale will start at 11am with coverage being streamed live online from the New Zealand Bloodstock Website. Click here to view today's results.

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