NZB Launches 2023 Catalogue for World’s Best 2YO Sale

New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale is a launchpad to racetrack stardom across Australasia and Asia, with an unparalleled honour roll that features two of the highest-rated horses on the planet in 2023. Buyers will have another opportunity to make their Ready to Run dreams a reality this November, with the 383-lot catalogue for the 2023 Sale now online. 

The Ready to Run Sale at Karaka is the world’s leading sale of two-year-olds in training. In the last five seasons alone, its graduates have claimed 23 Group One wins and a total of 102 victories at stakes level. Last season alone, graduates won eight Group One races and 26 stakes races, more than any other two-year-old Breeze Up Sale worldwide.

Among the many headline acts, Hong Kong superstars Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro) and Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) stand tallest of all – sharing second place in the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings throughout the first half of this year.

Nine-time Group One winner Golden Sixty was bought for $300,000 from Riversley Park’s draft at the 2017 Ready to Run Sale. He has set a new all-time record for earnings in Hong Kong with his HK$147.9m in prize money, which is the equivalent of over NZ$30m.

Lucky Sweynesse, meanwhile, was a $90,000 purchase from the draft of Woburn Farm at the 2020 Ready to Run Sale. The emerging megastar has now won 13 of his 17 career starts including three sparkling triumphs at Group One level this year. He has banked a total of HK$45.6m – the equivalent of NZ$9.6m, which is more than 100 times his purchase price.

Victory in consecutive PB Lawrence’s has set fellow graduate Mr Brightside (NZ) up for a lucrative season, on top of his success in the A$5m All-Star Mile (1600m) and back-to-back Group One Doncaster Miles (1600m). The Bullbars gelding has now amassed over A$8.4m in stakes – close to 200 times his reserve price at the 2019 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.

The Ready to Run Sale also produced a pair of elite three-year-olds in New Zealand and Australia last season. Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) won the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and New Zealand Derby (2400m) and was runner-up in the Victoria Derby (2500m), while Dunkel (NZ) (Dundeel) captured the Group One South Australian Derby (2500m).

Previous stars who have graced the Karaka sale ring during the Ready to Run Sale include Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj), Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), Beat The Clock (Hinchinbrook), Gingernuts (NZ) (Iffraaj), Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock), Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) and Vin De Dance (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) to name a few.

Along with recent stakes-winning performers like Antino (NZ) (Redwood), Dolphin Skin (NZ) (Telperion), Sacred Feeling (NZ) (Sacred Falls) and exciting up-and-comers such as Sweet Encounter (NZ) (Toronado), Snow Patrol (NZ) (Contributer) and Solidify (NZ) (Redwood).

The catalogue for this year’s sale is another outstanding selection of 383 well-credentialled two-year-olds, who have been given a perfect start to life under the watchful eye of some of the industry’s most respected Ready to Run vendors.

Buyers looking to unearth another Golden Sixty or Lucky Sweynesse have a special opportunity to follow a similar formula this year, with Lot 116 being a half-brother to Lucky Sweynesse. Just like Lucky Sweynesse three years ago, this Contributer colt is being offered by Woburn Farm on behalf of breeders Luigi Muollo, Allan Sharrock and Paul Dombroski.

There are also siblings to the likes of Queensland Derby (2400m) hero Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park), and multiple Group One winners and sire Kermadec (NZ) (Teofilo) up for offer.

There are 92 sires represented, from proven guns such as Savabeel, I Am Invincible, Proisir, Snitzel, Fastnet Rock and Per Incanto to rising stars Justify, Super Seth, Harry Angel, The Autumn Sun, Too Darn Hot, U S Navy Flag and many more.

The 2023 edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre on 22 and 23 November, with Breeze Ups to be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on 16 and 17 October.

View the catalogue online here.

Online bidding is available for all prospective purchasers via bidonline.nzb.co.nz, plus an extensive online catalogue that will host pedigrees, parade videos and photos, breeze-up clips and data analysis, updates, and important information to assist your buying decisions.