South Island Sale Stacked With Quality

2 June 2020

Lot 65 (Ghibellines x Italian Miss), half-sister to Group One NZ Oaks winner The Party Stand (NZ).
Lot 65 (Ghibellines x Italian Miss), half-sister to Group One NZ Oaks winner The Party Stand (NZ).

Taking place online on Gavelhouse Plus between May 28 and June 7, the South Island Sale looks a little different this year, but its catalogue remains right up to the usual standard expected from a New Zealand Bloodstock Sale.

There are 65 quality yearlings on offer, with plenty of close relatives to top-class racehorses and progeny of black-type performers.

This year’s catalogue features a close relation to New Zealand’s reigning Horse of the Year, Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands).

Lot 36 is a colt by Highly Recommended out of Vannista Belle (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy). The colt is being offered by Clearview Park Stud, and his dam is a half-sister to the dam of the superstar mare.

Herself a graduate of a New Zealand Bloodstock Sale, the Jamie Richards-trained Melody Belle has massively exceeded her $57,500 purchase price with 15 wins and more than $3.5 million in stakes from her 30-start career to date.

Another of Vannista Belle’s half-sisters is Tsarina Belle (NZ) (Stravinsky), who placed in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

Continuing the Group One theme, Lot 65 is by Ghibellines out of the unraced Showcasing mare Italian Miss (NZ), a half-sister to The Party Stand (NZ) (Thorn Park). Trained by Roger James, The Party Stand won the Group One New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m).

The Party Stand has passed that ability on to her progeny, with Petition (Foxwedge) placing in three stakes races in Melbourne and Adelaide, headed by the Group Three Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m). She also finished fourth in two Group Two events.

Italian Miss is also a half-sister to the multiple Adelaide Group Three placegetter Crimson Lady (NZ) (Volksraad), while another half-sister is the dam of this season’s Group Two Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) runner-up Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante).

Lot 25 is by Shocking out of Sapphire Lass (Charge Forward), whose granddam Polar Success (Success Express) won the world-famous Group One Golden Slipper (1200m) in Sydney.

Lot 32 is by Zacinto, a former South Island sire who made an outstanding start to his career at Inglewood Stud before relocating north to Valachi Downs. This colt is out of Suggestions (NZ) (Any Suggestion), a half-sister to the Group One winner and stakes-producing sire Ferlax (NZ) (Pentire).

Also by Zacinto is Lot 40, a filly out of the Irish-bred mare Alisara (Zafonic). Herself a placegetter in Ireland, Alisara is a half-sister to three stakes winners including the multiple Group One winner Alandi (Galileo).

Other Zacinto yearlings on offer include Lot 18, a filly out of Point Park (NZ) (Thorn Park), whose dam Seamist (NZ) (Beaufort Sea) won at Group One level and is the dam or granddam of eight black-type performers; and Lot 22 a colt out of Red Tulip (Red Ransom), from the family of Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner and sire Atlante (Fastnet Rock).

Brighthill Farm offers Lot 14, by their multiple Group One-winning stallion Preferment (NZ), whose oldest progeny are yearlings. This filly is out of the unraced Philippa Chelsea (NZ) (Viscount), who is closely related to this season’s Group One performer Harlech (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and also comes from the same family as European Horse of the Year Golden Horn (Cape Cross) and Melbourne Cup winner Vow and Declare (Declaration of War).

Lot 45 is by Jakkalberry out of Betels (NZ) (His Royal Highness), who is a full-sister to Sculptor (NZ) (His Royal Highness). Sculptor was a stakes winner on both sides of the Tasman including in the Group Two Great Northern Guineas (2000m) at Ellerslie and the Group Three Saab Quality (2500m) at Flemington.

Lot 60 is by the highly rated new sire Belardo out of the Rip Van Winkle mare Fascinate Me (NZ). Herself a winner as a two-year-old, Fascinate Me is a half-sister to Emily Margaret (NZ) (Pins), the winner of the Group Two Wellington Guineas (1400m), Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m) and Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1400m).

Their dam, Seven Schillings (NZ) (O’Reilly), was the top filly on New Zealand’s 2008-09 two-year-old free handicap. She won the Group Three Taranaki 2YO Classic (1200m) and placed in the Group One Diamond Stakes (1400m).

In addition to Emily Margaret, Seven Schillings is also the dam of the Australian Listed placegetter Heptagon (NZ) (Jimmy Choux).

Lot 11 is a filly by Road to Rock out of Olden Days (NZ) (No Excuse Needed), who is a full-sister to the dam of New Zealand’s champion three-year-old of 2018-19, Madison County (NZ) (Pins).

Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Madison County won the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Levin Classic (1600m), along with the Group Two Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m). Later in the season, he crossed the Tasman and placed in the Group One Australian Derby (2400m) and Group Two Tulloch Stakes (2000m).

This filly is offered by Long Acres Stud, and her third dam is a half-sister to the champion sire O’Reilly (NZ) and three-quarter sister to the Group One winner Critic (NZ) (Centaine).

Long Acres will also offer Lot 28, by Echoes of Heaven out of Sita (NZ) (Bertolini). This filly is a half-sister to Sitarist (NZ) (Road to Rock), who has won six races to date including this season’s Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m).

Willow Glen presents Lot 5, by Pure Champion out of the unraced Libby Surprize (NZ) (Librettist). Libby Surprize is a daughter of the Group One-winning mare Surprize Surprize (NZ) (Prized).

Haunui Bloodstock is offering a select group of yearlings at the South Island Sale, including Lot 42 a well-related filly by first-season sire Vadamos. She is out of Aplomb (NZ) (One Cool Cat), a sister to the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) and Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) placegetter Praecido (NZ) (One Cool Cat).

The second dam of Aplomb and Praecido is Happiness (NZ) (Bluebird), who won the Group One Thorndon Mile (1600m) and is the dam of stakes winner Zankel (NZ) (Carnegie).

Haunui also have Lot 9, a filly from the final New Zealand crop of their superb shuttle stallion Showcasing. This filly is out of Midnight Aliyana (NZ) (Carnegie), who is a half-sister to Group One Doomben Cup (2200m) winner Perlin (NZ) (Carnegie). Other close relatives include Group One performer (My) Xpression (NZ) (Showcasing) and Karaka Million (1200m) winner Hardline (NZ) (Showcasing).

Another member of Showcasing’s last Kiwi crop is Lot 17, whose dam Plenteous (NZ) (Sufficient) is out of a half-sister to the four-time Group One winner Silent Achiever (NZ) (O’Reilly).

Mansfield Farm are offering Lot 53, by Highly Recommended out of Creme Glacee (Dane Shadow). A winner over 1000 metres in Australia, Creme Glacee is a half-sister to the dams of two stakes winners including Group One Galaxy Handicap (1100m) winner Bel Sprinter (Bel Esprit).

Lot 23 is by Highly Recommended out of Samphire (NZ) (Savabeel), whose half-sister Fire Song (NZ) (Senor Pete) won the Group Two Sapphire Stakes (1200m) in Sydney.

Lot 59 is by El Roca, the sire of this season’s Group One-winning filly Travelling Light (NZ). This filly is out of the unraced Lope de Vega mare Empress Vega, a daughter of the multiple American stakes winner Empress Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus). The third dam is South African Horse of the Year Empress Club (Farnesio).

El Roca is also the sire of Lot 52, a filly out of Claudy Eire (Promontory Gold). Claudy Eire is a half-sister to the multiple Melbourne stakes performer Satin Robes (Ne Coupez Pas), who is the dam of two black-type performers in Australia – Saturn Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Omeros (High Chaparral).

Lot 19 is a colt by the ill-fated and accomplished sire Burgundy (NZ) out of Precious (Stravinsky). Offered by Park Hill Stables in Timaru, the colt is a half-brother to the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m) and Southland Guineas (1600m) runner-up Upscale (NZ) (Tavistock).

Lot 41 is a colt by Shocking out of All About the Coin (Starcraft), who is a half-sister to the Australian stakes winners Messene (Lonhro) and Cordero (Gio Ponti).

Lot 50, a filly by first season stallion Turn Me Loose out of Carrie (NZ) (Danasinga), is a half-sister to the stakes winner Sucre (NZ) (Ishiguru). She is also closely related to the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year and black-type producer Singalong (NZ) (Danasinga).

Another Turn Me Loose yearling is Lot 39, out of Xabeel (NZ) (Zabeel). Xabeel is a half-sister to three stakes performers including Xcellent (NZ) (Pentire), who won four Group One races and was a two-time New Zealand Horse of the year.

Lot 10 is by Zacinto out of Muffin Coup (NZ) (Elusive City), who is a half-sister to the dam of Group One winner Markus Maximus (NZ) (Pentire).

Lot 33, also by Zacinto, is out of Sweet Revenge (NZ) (Falkirk), whose half-sister Vittoria (NZ) (Postponed) finished third in the Queensland Oaks (2400m) and fourth in the VRC Oaks (2500m).

Progeny of Stakes-Performed Mares

Lot 2 is by Reliable Man out of Lady Zafira (NZ) (Iffraaj), who won five races including the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) during Riccarton’s New Zealand Cup carnival. She also placed in the Listed Rotorua Stakes (1400m) and was fourth in the Group One Telegraph (1200m).

Also by Reliable Man, Lot 48 is out of the stakes-winning American mare Canyon Yodeler (Swiss Yodeler).

The dam of Lot 3 is La Veuve (NZ) (Iffraaj), who placed in the Listed (now Group 3) Ray Coupland Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton.

Blacken (Rubiton), the dam of Lot 46, placed in the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes (1400m) in Melbourne.

Lot 56 is out of Diamond Grace (NZ) (Bachelor Duke), who finished second in the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m).

Lot 64 is out of Howbaddouneedit (NZ) (Howbaddouwantit), who placed in the Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Stakes (1400m).

All unbroken yearlings offered through the 2020 South Island Sale on Gavelhouse Plus are eligible for the Karaka Million Series featuring two $1 million races – the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) and the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), in addition to the $100,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup (2200m), which graduates can contest for the duration of their career.

Buyers will need to register on Gavelhouse Plus in advance, prior to the closure of selling and provide two credit references to gain bidding approval for the Sale.

For a deeper understanding of how the online auction process works, view the full step-by-step buyers guide here.

All horses have been inspected by NZB Agents who are available to assist buyers with enquiries.

Bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo has also seen majority of the catalogue and welcomes enquiries for an independent assessment. Contact Phill by calling 027 483 8578 or emailing [email protected].

For more information contact NZB Sales Representative Regan Donnison (+64 21 512 466 or email [email protected]).