2022 National Online Yearling Sale Live on Gavelhouse Plus

The likes of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) and Markus Aurelius (NZ) (Ghibellines) have exemplified the gold that can be found in New Zealand Bloodstock’s yearling offerings every autumn, and this year promises to be no different with a quality selection of over 80 yearlings available in the 2022 National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. 

Mr Brightside was bought for just $22,000 as a yearling in the 2019 Karaka May Sale, and was later purchased from gavelhouse.com in August 2020. His spectacular victory in last Saturday’s famous A$3m Group One Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick couldn’t have been a better-timed illustration of the possibilities available through NZB at this time of the year.

Markus Aurelius, meanwhile, was a mere $13,000 purchase by Te Akau’s David Ellis at the South Island Sale in April of 2018 and triumphed in this season’s $230,000 Group Two Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton.

For the second year in a row, the digital addition to New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series is being conducted on Gavelhouse Plus, with the catalogue now available to view online here.

This year’s catalogue has almost doubled in size, growing from 49 last year to 87 in 2022, but with no reduction in quality. Renowned vendors from across New Zealand are supporting the Sale again this year, with the progeny of 43 proven, emerging and first-season sires offered, including several established stars of Kiwi stallion ranks.

• CHARM SPIRIT, the sire of 269 winners from 437 runners, with 12 stakes winners including Group Two stars Aretha (NZ) and Fascino (NZ).
• DARCI BRAHMA (NZ), the million-dollar yearling at Karaka who won four Group One races in New Zealand and one in Australia, then became a top-class stallion at The Oaks Stud. His 55 stakes winners are headed by Group One progeny such as Sierra Sue (NZ), D B Pin (NZ), Nashville (NZ), Julinsky Prince (NZ), Recite (NZ), Catalyst (NZ), Risque (NZ), Artistic (NZ), Irish Fling (NZ), Kahma Lass (NZ), Devise (NZ) and Gust Of Wind (NZ).
• Lot 75 is a filly from the final New Zealand crop of Haunui Farm’s superb shuttle stallion IFFRAAJ (NZ), whose legacy has been secured in this part of the world by Group One stars Gingernuts (NZ), Turn Me Loose (NZ), Jon Snow (NZ), Western Empire (NZ) and Wyndspelle (NZ). Another of his sons, northern hemisphere Group One winner Ribchester, also now shuttles to Haunui Farm.
• Winning the Cox Plate (2040m) and retiring to Waikato Stud seems to be a recipe for stallion success, starting with the great Savabeel and continuing with OCEAN PARK (NZ). A five-time Group One winner, Ocean Park is now the sire of 17 stakes winners including Tofane (NZ), Kolding (NZ) and Ocean Billy (NZ) at the highest level.
• Rich Hill Stud’s PROISIR is the sire of 95 winners from 176 runners to date. Seven of his progeny have won at stakes level, with the exceptional multiple Group One winner Levante (NZ) backed up by fellow black-type performers such as Dark Destroyer (NZ), Riodini (NZ) and the recent Group One placegetters Aspen Colorado (NZ) and Waitak (NZ).
• RELIABLE MAN has lived up to his name across a decade of service at Westbury Stud, represented by 309 winners including 18 at black-type level. Inspirational Girl (NZ), Miami Bound (NZ) and Sentimental Miss (NZ) have all been Group One winners, while Benaud was runner-up in this month’s Group One Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.
• SHOCKING is going from strength to strength at Rich Hill Stud, with his headline progeny at the moment including the top-class Australian performer I’m Thunderstruck (NZ), New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Self Obsession (NZ), the super-talented Group Three winner Elephant (NZ), and last weekend’s Group Two Chairman’s Quality (2600m) winner Nerve Not Verve (NZ).

 

Those proven names are backed up by the progeny of some of New Zealand’s brightest emerging sire talent.

• ALMANZOR has been a sale-ring sensation throughout his short career at Cambridge Stud, and that early confidence has been rewarded with first-crop Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Dynastic (NZ), plus multiple black-type placegetter Andalus (NZ) and multiple other winners on both sides of the Tasman.
• Haunui Farm’s BELARDO was New Zealand’s leading first-season sire in 2020-21 and has been a consistent source of quality throughout his first two New Zealand crops. His progeny in our part of the world include stakes winner Avonallo (NZ) and black-type performers Fellini (NZ), Yeaboi (NZ) and Fonsalette (NZ).
• Victoria Derby (2500m) winner PREFERMENT (NZ) stands at Brighthill Farm and has made a highly promising start, siring six winners from his first two crops of racing age. The first black-type performer was Tap Dancer (NZ), who finished third in this season’s Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m).
• Rich Hill Stud’s SATONO ALADDIN has followed up his Group One-winning racetrack exploits with 18 winners in Japan, and the son of Deep Impact has also made a highly promising start in New Zealand with first-crop juvenile winner Kabugee (NZ) and black-type placegetter Sacred Satono (NZ).
• SWEYNESSE, who stands at Novara Park, was New Zealand’s leading first-season sire in 2019-20. He has produced 27 winners from 82 runners, headed by stakes winners Only Words (NZ), Dragon Queen (NZ), Bonita Aurelia (NZ) and Brix (NZ).
• Victoria Derby (2500m) and Rosehill Guineas (2000m) hero TARZINO (NZ), himself a $45,000 purchase at Karaka 2014, now stands at Westbury Stud. He has already had nine winners among his first two crops of racing age, headed by the Group Three winner and Group One placegetter Gypsy Goddess (NZ), who is among the favourites for this Saturday’s Group One Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick. Jungle Magnate (NZ) has also been placed up to Group Two level in Melbourne.
• Tarzino’s fellow Westbury Stud stallion TELPERION has sired four winners so far, including Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) winner Stormy (NZ) and the stakes-placed No Bouquet (NZ).
• After a spectacular start in Europe with four first-crop stakes winners, all eyes are on Little Avondale Stud’s TIME TEST. Selling for up to $220,000 at Karaka, his New Zealand-conceived progeny include the winners Time Ruler (NZ) and Time Flies (NZ). He had three first-crop runners in this year’s $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m).
• Windsor Park Stud’s TURN ME LOOSE (NZ) was a $52,500 purchase from the 2013 Ready to Run Sale who went on to win Group Ones on both sides of the Tasman. He has been quick to make his mark at stud as well, particularly in a golden last few weeks that have seen him sire his first Group One winner Lickety Split (NZ), along with Group Two winner Prix De Turn (NZ), Group Three winner Alabama Gold (NZ) and Listed winner Ancient Girl (NZ).
• Standing at Rich Hill Stud, VADAMOS has had an outstanding season headed by the multiple Group-winning filly La Crique (NZ), whose exceptional campaign finished with a second placing against the boys in the Group One New Zealand Derby (2400m). Vadamos has also had further black-type success this season through his stakes-winning daughters Art De Triomphe (NZ) and Grace’s Secret (NZ).
• Inglewood Stud’s WAR DECREE has shown highly promising signs in his first two-year-old crop, siring early winner Turf War (NZ) and stakes placegetter Val Di Zoldo (NZ).

Other notable sires on offer include CHURCHILL, COMPLACENT, EL ROCA, GHIBELLINES, MONGOLIAN FALCON, MONGOLIAN KHAN, MULAAZEM, NATIONAL DEFENSE, NATURAL DESTINY, OCEAN EMPEROR, PUCCINI, PURE CHAMPION, REDWOOD, ROCK HERO, SAXON WARRIOR, SHOWTIME, SWEET ORANGE, WROTE and ZACINTO.

Buyers will also get the opportunity to secure lots from the first crops of popular freshman sires Ace High, Embellish, Eminent, Jon Snow and Staphanos.

There is no shortage of credentials on the bottom side of the pedigrees either, with a number of yearlings from stakes-winning families.

• Cambridge Stud will offer Lot 11, a filly by their resident stallion Almanzor out of Dansili mare Aumale, a winner at 2000 metres in France. Hailing from an international family, this filly is related to Group One Irish One Thousand Guineas (1600m) winner Just The Judge (Lawman). 
• Lot 16 is an Ocean Park filly out of O’Reilly mare Cardrona (NZ). Offered by Phoenix Park, she is closely related to Perfect Pins (NZ) (Pins), Champion 3YO Sprinter in Malaysia, as well as multiple stakes winner Palace General (NZ) (O’Reilly).
• Inglewood Stud have put forward a War Decree filly out of Darci Brahma mare Enchanted Light (NZ) as Lot 31. Her dam is a half-sister to Group Two Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) and Wellington Guineas (1500m) winner Keyora (NZ) (Bachelor Duke), as well as Group One sire Roc De Cambes (NZ) (Red Ransom).
• Lot 39, an Almanzor colt out of Montjeu mare Game Duchess, is offered by Cambridge Stud. This colt is a half-brother to Group winners Dark Princess (NZ) (Cape Blanco) and Exquisite Jewel (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn) and is also from the same family as Group One Vinery Stud Stakes winner Hiyaam (NZ) (High Chaparral).
• Offered on account of Cambria Park is Lot 76, a filly by Redwood out of Rock On Rye (Catcher in the Rye). She is a full-sister to Group One Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) winner Rock On Wood (NZ).

Bidding will run for a two-day period, commencing on Monday 18 April at 9am (NZT), with the first lot closing on Wednesday 20 April from 6pm (NZT). Buyers must register on Gavelhouse Plus well in advance in order to gain bidding approval.

All lots purchased from the National Online Yearling Sale are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Million Series. Just nine short months after they make their virtual sale-ring debut, graduates of the online sale can compete for a share of the $1m Doubletree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), followed by the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) in their three-year-old season, and then the $100,000 CollinsonForex Karaka Cup (2200m) for the remainder of their careers.

All horses will be inspected by NZB Agents who are available to assist buyers with enquiries and buyers can also contact vendors to arrange their own on farm/private viewings. View the 2022 National Online Yearling Sale parade schedule here.

Vendors have supplied photos and video footage to give prospective buyers the best possible information about each lot on offer. View a full list of vendor contacts here.

View the 87-lot catalogue on Gavelhouse Plus here.