Spoilt for Choice at NZB’s Ready to Run Sale

A broad range of the best sires from New Zealand and Australia are represented at this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of  2YOs with 115 stallions represented with progeny.

Savabeel

Leading the charge for the New Zealand sires is the reigning Champion Sire O’Reilly who collected all three sires’ titles at the New Zealand Horse of the Year awards for the second year running.

He earned those accolades on the back of a season that produced three Group 1 winners in Sacred Falls (NZ), winner of back-to-back Group 1 Doncaster Handicaps, Silent Achiever (NZ), winner of three consecutive Group 1 races in the autumn, and O’Marilyn, winner of the Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes. O’Reilly has 12 two-year-olds entered in the Sale.

O’Reilly has a strong challenge on his hands to defend those titles this year with the fantastic start made to the racing season by Savabeel – the sire of two Group 1 winners already this season.

The Cox Plate winning son of Zabeel, Savabeel’s daughters Lucia Valentina (NZ) and Costume(NZ) landed Group 1 races on both sides of the Tasman, Lucia Valentina in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington and, on the same day, Costume won the Group 1 Livamol Classic at Hastings.

Savabeel has the largest draft of 17 horses entered in the catalogue and is represented by the progeny or siblings of six stakes performers.

The great Zabeel, the sire of Savabeel, sired his 44th Group 1 winner last weekend with the triumph of Preferment (NZ) in the Group 1 Victoria Derby. The last full crop from Zabeel are now two-year-olds and include five entries in the Ready to Run Sale. These five will be among the last progeny of Zabeel to be sold at auction.

There is representation from up-and-coming young sires in New Zealand that are starting to make a name for themselves. One of those is Mastercraftsman whose oldest progeny are only three-year-olds. Already flying the flag for Mastercraftsman is Thunder Lady (NZ), winner of the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes on Saturday and strong chance in the Group 1 VRC Oaks tomorrow. Mastercraftsman has 11 horses catalogued in the Ready to Run Sale.

Also making a promising start to his stud career is Tavistock and his oldest progeny are also only three-year-olds. The multiple Group 1 winner is the sire of promising Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) and Avisto(NZ)– both stakes winners this season. Tavistock has eight horses entered in the Ready to Run Sale.

Many of the top Australian sires are represented by progeny in the Ready to Run Sale including boom sire Fastnet Rock. The sire of two Ready to Run Sale topping colts, Fastnet Rock continues to produce Group 1 winners including champion mare Atlantic Jewel and recently added Group 1 Thousand Guineas winner Amicus to his tally.

Fastnet Rock has had great success through the Ready to Run Sale with his sons Atlante & Albany Reunion both winning Group 1 races last season. He is represented by six entries in this year’s Sale, headed by a half-brother to brilliant racemare Alinghi.

Last season’s champion sire of Australia was Redoute’s Choice and he is represented by one entry in the Ready to Run Sale, a colt out of stakes winning mare Bonaichi. His son Snitzel finished second in the Sires’ Premiership last season with his headline progeny the Group 1 Cox Plate winner Shamus Award. Snitzel also has one entry in the Sale.

This year sees a strong group of 13 freshman sires that are represented at the Sale including Beneteau, Captain Sonador, Equiano, Hinchinbrook, Lope de Vega, Makfi, Paco Boy, Per Incanto, Reward for Effort, Rip Van Winkle, Shamoline Warrior, Shocking and Showcasing.

Other sires at the Sale include Alamosa, Bel Esprit, Commands, Darci Brahma, Denman, Encosta de Lago, Exceed and Excel, Flying Spur, Guillotine, High Chaparral, Hussonet, Iffraaj, Keeper, Lonhro, Northern Meteor, Pentire, Pins, Rip Van Winkle,  Sebring, Shocking, Showcasing, Thewayyouare, Thorn Park and many others.

A full preview of first season sires can be viewed in the Ready to Run Sale Handbook which can be viewed here.

The Ready to Run Handbook is your go-to guide for all things related to your visit to Karaka in November. It contains everything from sire previews and vendor information through to accommodation and restaurant guides.

The 2014 Ready to Run Sale has attracted a catalogue of 396 two-year-olds. Each horse was given the opportunity to Breeze Up with the final 200m of their work timed and filmed, click here to view Breeze Up clips. This year’s Ready to Run Sale is on Wednesday 19 & Thursday 20 November at Karaka.

For more Sales news and information, visit www.nzb.co.nz.  To view the catalogue for NZB’s Ready to Run Sale, click here.