Castledale Weanlings Hold Extra Appeal at Karaka

New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling & Broodmare Sale�this Sunday will see the launch of Te Runga Stud's "Castledale Challenge", an exciting competition where the owners of a first crop Castledale filly can battle for lucrative rewards.

The new initiative established by Te Runga Stud principal, Wayne Larsen, offers a valuable�incentive to buy and race a Castledale filly, with the winner of�the Castledale Challenge taking home�a new Ford Car valued in excess of $34,000.

"The Castledale Challenge is a simple concept that adds real financial benefits to purchasing and racing a Castledale filly," said Te Runga studmaster Wayne Larsen. "They will be buying a daughter of a genuinely world class racehorse,�and the buyer only has to select the best one to win a new Ford for the filly's owners."

The Castledale Challenge is held over the 2009/10 and 2010/11 racing seasons and points are awarded on a 10, 5, 3 and 1 basis for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and unplaced respectively, for every race in New Zealand and Australia. The filly�that wins the most points by the end of her three-year-old racing season shall be declared the winner.

Qualification for the Castledale Challenge is simple: the Castledale filly is registered for the�competition by her breeder and then must be sold through the ring at a New Zealand Bloodstock Sale. By selling, the Castledale filly is now fully qualified for the Castledale Challenge and at no cost to her new owners is fully eligible to win the Ford Car and other rewards.

In addition to the Ford car the new owners will receive free transport in New Zealand to the races courtesy of Majestic Horsefloats.

The Castledale Challenge also offers prizes of Dunstan Feed to the breeder and New Zealand based trainer every three months�of the filly�that collects the most points in that period, and the New Zealand trainer who collects the most points at the end of the Castledale Challenge will receive a substantial prize of Dunstan Feed. The breeder of the winning filly will also win a substantial travel package.

Castledale (IRE) was a highclass Group winner at two, a Group One Derby winner at three and a Group One winning miler at four. A son of Peintre Celebre, by the time of a career ending injury Castledale was ranked third by an international thoroughbred panel for the Breeder's Cup Turf Mile behind eventual 2005 Breeders Cup winner Artie Schiller.

The first four fillies who have been registered for the Castledale Challenge sell at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale this weekend:

• Lot 50� Castledale-Classic Question
• Lot 104 Castledale-Flounce
• Lot 204 Castledale-Mirror Lake
• Lot 382 Castledale-Amaretti

"The financial viability of racing a filly in New Zealand has never been better for at least thirty years in real terms," commented Larsen.

"The New Zealand Government introduced taxation adjustments two years ago and the Thoroughbred Code Body NZTR is really focused on returns to owners, so much so that in the last three years the net return to owners has increased a massive 82%. Te Runga Stud is now adding to that economic viability with the Castledale Challenge."

For further information visit www.terunga.co.nz.