Spirited Trade Concludes Karaka 2015

1 February 2015

A good day’s trade at the one-day Karaka Festival Sale has concluded New Zealand Bloodstock’s 89th National Yearling Sale Series, posting figures to match last year’s successful Sale.

LOt 1176

Lot 1176 was purchased by Paul Chow for $85,000.

The Festival Sale concluded six days of selling at the National Yearling Sales Series today at Karaka. With 1364 lots catalogued this year (8 fewer than last year), 898 have sold for $67,388,650, reflecting an increase in the overall sale average of $75,043 (up 3%), with the median holding strong at $45,000, the same as last year. The clearance rate for the week is currently 75%.

Amongst the week’s highlights has been the growth in the Australian spend, up 6% to $24,450,500 on 201 horses, with the demand from both Hong Kong and Singapore holding strong at $10,048,500 and $2,379,000 respectively.

The leading buyer for the Sales Series was David Ellis’s Te Akau Racing, purchasing 26 horses for $3,805,000, putting him at the top of the buyers list for a record tenth year. The leading vendor at both the Premier and Select Sale and overall, was Waikato Stud with a huge draft; of which 63 horses sold for $8,482,500. The leading vendor by average was Prima Park who sold three horses for $655,000 at an average of $218,333.

Today’s figures were comparable to last year’s bumper Sale that saw the average increase by 17% and median increase by 25%. Today’s average improved slightly on last year, finishing at $14,670, while the median remained at last year’s $10,000. The aggregate for the day was $2,816,650 with 192 horses sold at a clearance rate of 71%.

Today’s top price came at Lot 1176 with Hong Kong bloodstock agent Paul Chow, acting under his Tartan Meadow banner, purchasing the colt by Iffraaj for $85,000 from Haunui Farm.

The colt is by New Zealand’s leading three-year-old sire this season in Iffraaj, and is out of an O’Reilly mare Skimmio, a half-sister to the stakes performed Florinda (Lord Ballina).

“He was a little bit over my authorised budget but he’s one of the four horses that were on my list and it’s the last day so there are no more to choose from tomorrow,” commented Chow.

“This year has been good because I have had new clients on board. We have bought 11 horses so far during the sales. They’re not necessarily going back to Hong Kong, we will wait and see how they develop.

“Karaka is always where I start my year when I’m buying for my clients as we have bought a number of quality horses here.”

Chow finished the day as the leading buyer, purchasing three horses for $145,000, with his other purchases coming at Lot 1237 and Lot 1352.

There were five horses to fetch $60,000 or more at today’s Sale, compared with only one horse last year.

The day’s leading vendor - Haunui Farm – was represented prominently by its resident stallions providing 6 of the top 10 lots of the Sale. Iffraaj finished as the leading sire (with three or more yearlings sold), selling three horses at an average of $56,833. He finished ahead of his barn mate Showcasing who sold 10 horses at an average of $35,775.

Showcasing, the sire of Karaka Million winner Hardline, provided the day’s second highest price of $70,000 at Lot 1190, purchased by Nigel Tiley from Hallmark Stud, the sellers of Hardline.

Showcasing also had the fourth highest price at the Sale with Lot 1183 purchased for $60,000 by Shane Crawford of Regal Farm.

The success of their sires led to Haunui Farm being the leading vendor by both aggregate and average at the Festival Sale, selling nine horses for $382,000 at an average of $42,444.

The leading first season sire today was Westbury Stud’s Redwood (High Chaparral) with seven horses sold at an average of $22,571. The leading first season sire for the combined Sale was So You Think (High Chaparral) with five horses sold at an average of $190,000.

NZB’s Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said the company is pleased with the results of the week.

“It has been a very solid week of selling, with a strong buying bench demonstrating good demand for the horses on offer,” commented Vela. “We’d hoped to post figures in line with last year’s successful sale and spirited competition right throughout the week has ensured we have achieved that which is very pleasing.”

“A big thank you has to go out to everyone involved this week, internationals and locals. It is a credit to our vendors to have a week as successful as this one was, and we wish buyers all the best with their Karaka purchases.”

2015 Festival Yearling Sale Statistics
2015 Festival Sale 2014 Festival Sale
AGGREGATE $2,816,650 $2,941,500
AVERAGE $14,670 $14,210
MEDIAN $10,000 $10,000
CLEARANCE 71% 81%
CATALOGUED 329 290
SOLD 192 207
TOP LOT Lot 1176 Br.C. Iffaaj x Skimmio $85,000 Lot 1272 B.C Bachelor Duke x Tithe $77,500
Top Lots
Lot Type Breeding Vendor Buyer Price
1176 BR.C Iffraaj / Skimmio Haunui Farm Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) $85,000
1190 BR.C Showcasing / Starry Angel Hallmark Stud Mr N Tiley (Auckland) $70,000
1229 B.C Per Incanto / Viking Angel Westend Partnership Brookby Stables (Auckland) $65,000
1038 BR.C Postponed / Kate Cross Hallmark Stud Phill Cataldo Bloodstock/DM Logan Racing Stables (Auckland) $60,000
1183 BR.C Showcasing / Spamalot Haunui Farm Regal Farm Partnership (Cambridge) $60,000
1170 BR.C Iffraaj / Silk Spurs Haunui Farm Mr M Rogers (Pukekohe) $57,500
1171 B.C Tavistock / Silver Bracelet Seaton Park  Mr JA McGrath (England) $47,500
1224 B.C Showcasing / Vannista Belle Haunui Farm Prima Park Bloodstock (Putaruru) $46,000
1049 BR.C Bachelor Duke / Lady Lucille Highbury Park Stud Mr CJ Wood (Hamilton) $45,000
1293 Ch.C Showcasing / Clavarias Grangewilliam Stud Diamond Lodge (Cambridge) $45,000
1352 BR.C Castledale / Indy Star Te Runga Stud  Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) $45,000
Leading Purchasers by Aggregate
Purchaser Bought Aggregate Average Top Price
NZB as agent 30 $254,400 $8,480 $37,000 (Lot 1077)
Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) 3 $145,000 $48,333 $85,000 (Lot 1176)
Mr N Tiley (Auckland) 3 $108,000 $36,000 $70,000 (Lot 1190)
Mr M Rogers (Pukekohe) 3 $103,500 $34,500 $57,500 (Lot 1170)
Mr PK Ho (Macau) 3 $98,000 $32,667 $40,000 (Lot 1205)
Rogerson Bloodstock (Hamilton) 4 $94,000 $23,500 $35,000 (Lot 1123)
Mr CJ Wood (Hamilton) 2 $78,000 $39,000 $45,000 (Lot 1049)
Toast Trusts/Te Akau Racing (Singapore) 4 $69,000 $17,250 $31,000 (Lot 1349)
Regal Farm Partnership (Cambridge) 2 $66,000 $33,000 $60,000 (Lot 1138)
Brookby Stables (Auckland) 1 $65,000 $65,000 $65,000 (Lot 1229)
Messrs GJ & MA Old (Matamata) 3 $62,000 $20,667 $34,000 (Lot 1363)
Leading Vendors by Aggregate
Vendor  Sold Aggregate Average Top Price
Haunui Farm 9 $382,000 $42,444 $85,000 (Lot 1176)
Westbury Stud 19 $323,000 $17,000 $43,000 (Lot 1296)
Hallmark Stud 4 $151,500 $37,875 $70,000 (Lot 1190)
Westend Partnership 8 $131,500 $16,438 $65,000 (Lot 1229)
Grangewilliam Stud 12 $131,000 $10,917 $45,000 (Lot 1293)
Cambria Park 7 $123,500 $17,643 $36,000 (Lot 1338)
Long Acres Stud 8 $120,500 $15,063 $34,000 (Lot 1139)
Brighthill Farm 11 $109,500 $9,955 $27,000 (Lot 1251)
Blackbridge 7 $104,000 $14,857 $30,000 (Lot 1036)
Seaton Park  7 $102,500 $14,643 $47,500 (Lot 1171)
Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold)
Vendor  Sold Average Aggregate Top Price
Haunui Farm 9 $42,444 $382,000 $85,000 (Lot 1176)
Hallmark Stud 4 $37,875 $151,500 $70,000 (Lot 1190)
Millfield Stud 3 $27,333 $82,000 $40,000 (Lot 1205)
Highbury Park Stud 4 $18,500 $74,000 $45,000 (Lot 1049)
Cambria Park 7 $17,643 $123,500 $36,000 (Lot 1338)
Westbury Stud 19 $17,000 $323,000 $43,000 (Lot 1296)
Westend Partnership 8 $16,438 $131,500 $65,000 (Lot 1229)
Rich Hill Stud 5 $15,800 $79,000 $37,000 (Lot 1077)
Long Acres Stud 8 $15,063 $120,500 $34,000 (Lot 1139)
Blackbridge 7 $14,857 $104,000 $30,000 (Lot 1036)
Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold)
Sire Sold Average Aggregate Top Price
Iffraaj 3 $56,833 $170,500 $85,000 (Lot 1176)
Showcasing 10 $35,775 $357,750 $70,000 (Lot 1190)
Per Incanto 3 $34,167 $102,500 $65,000 (Lot 1229)
Captain Rio 3 $26,333 $79,000 $40,000 (Lot 1205)
Postponed 5 $25,000 $125,000 $60,000 (Lot 1038)
Tavistock 6 $23,417 $140,500 $47,500 (Lot 1171)
Redwood* 7 $22,571 $158,000 $34,000 (Lot 1139)
Bachelor Duke 4 $21,500 $86,000 $45,000 (Lot 1049)
Swiss Ace 6 $17,833 $107,000 $43,000 (Lot 1296)
Jimmy Choux* 5 $15,800 $79,000 $37,000 (Lot 1077)

*First season sire