Welcome to New Zealand

The Karaka Million race meeting on 25 January is more than just a $1,000,000 incentive race, it is a warm welcome to New Zealand for all international buyers, and a showcase of everything 'thoroughbred' in New Zealand.

The excitement for this year's $1,000,000 event has been unparalleled, with international horses contesting the purse for the first time, and owners hunting the local prize money for a coveted start in the feature event. As a meeting that is rapidly becoming New Zealand's showpiece racing event for the world's leading thoroughbred owners and buyers, the support of key sponsors on the day is significant to the day's success.�

This year it is fitting that the sponsors of the five supporting races on the six-race card should be showpiece thoroughbred operations. They are Karaka vendors Curraghmore Stud, Cambridge Stud, Pencarrow Stud and The Oaks Stud, and leading New Zealand buyer at Karaka for the past three years, Te Akau Racing.

Cambridge Stud

Cambridge Stud has been the leading vendor at Karaka for the past 27 years in a row.� Last year Sir Patrick Hogan pledged his entire draft of yearlings to the Karaka Sales and does so again in 2009.

The Stud was established in 1975 by Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan and the following year became home to Sir Tristram (IRE) who went on to become the multiple champion sire of Australasia with a record of 45 individual Group 1 winners.

Cambridge Stud now comprises 1000 acres of lush pasture located in the heartland of the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding industry in the Waikato. It has one of the finest broodmare bands of any privately owned stud in the southern hemisphere, and stands a champion sire in Zabeel.

A son of Sir Tristram, Zabeel has followed in his father's footsteps and he is now the most successful active sire in Australasia with 38 individual Group 1 winners and 117 stakes winners accumulating close to $100,000,000 in earnings.

Cambridge Stud will be offering a draft of seventy one yearlings at Karaka 2009.

Amongst the Premier Sale selection, Cambridge Stud sires Keeper,�One Cool Cat, Stravinsky, Viking Ruler and Zabeel are all represented, alongside former Cambridge Stud shuttler Cape Cross, plus Anabaa, Dehere, Encosta de Lago, Exceed and Excel, Fastnet Rock Galileo, General Nediym, Redoute's Choice, Show A Heart and Starcraft.

True to form, Cambridge Stud is again presenting an impressive line-up of bluebloods that includes Zabeel fillies from Group 1 winning racemares Honor Babe (Lot 33) and Honor Bound (Lot 34), and colts from Silk Slipper (Lot 234), Better Succeed (Lot 373) and Miss Power Bird (Lot 132).

For Sir Patrick, the Miss Powerbird is one of the standouts. "He's a magnificent Zabeel type, with very correct conformation, lots of scope, a good lengthy horse with a great head and eye, who shows himself off well."

The Cambridge Stud draft also features the Stravinsky half-brother to Shower of Roses at Lot 114 (ex Marquise) and the Redoute's Choice colt from a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Lady Jakeo (Lot 78).

A full public parade of Cambridge Stud's yearlings will be held at Karaka on Tuesday 20 January at 1:30pm.

Curraghmore Stud

Established in 1994 by Irish-born Gordon Cunningham after immigrating to New Zealand in 1987, nearly fifteen years on and Curraghmore has developed into one of New Zealand's leading consignors finishing second highest last year behind Cambridge Stud by aggregate.

Curraghmore also became the fourth consignor to ever sell a seven figure yearling in New Zealand. The colt was Offenbach (Danehill x Push a Venture, by Shirley Heights) who won eight races up to Group 3 level after being purchased by Adrian Nicoll for $1,000,000 at Karaka.

A strong supporter of the New Zealand Sales, Curraghmore Stud's record of success at Karaka has included last season's Melbourne Cup winner Efficient and his half-brother Guillotine.

Curraghmore Stud will offer forty-one yearlings at Karaka 2009. This includes a Premier draft of 20 yearlings, amongst them yearlings by Danehill Dancer (2), Encosta de Lago (5), Elusive Quality (1) Fastnet Rock (2), General Nediym (1), Golan (1), Johannesburg (1), Pins (1), Red Ransom (1), Redoute's Choice (1), Rock of Gibraltar (1), Stravinsky (2) and Tale of the Cat (1).

Amongst the standouts are the Encosta de Lago colt at Lot 37, a half-brother to Champion NZ 2YO Maroofity from Howkudai (Don't Forget Me) and the Fastnet Rock filly at Lot 397 from Cast Your Fate, a half-sister to Gr2 winners Flying Babe and Belle Femme.

�Pencarrow Stud

Pencarrow Stud, owned by Peter and Philip Vela, is home to one of New Zealand's most elite broodmare bands.

The Stud's success has included Romanee Conti (by Sir Tristram), the winner of seven races including the Group 3 Hong Kong International Cup; Ethereal (by Rhythm) the winner of four Group I races including her historic Group I Caulfield Cup and Group I Melbourne Cup double; Riverina Charm (by Sir Tristram), a four-time Group I winner; and reigning New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Insouciant.

Pencarrow Stud's success at Karaka has included the sale topping Danehill colt Darci Brahma. Last year's third leading vendor by average and the leading vendor the year before, this year Pencarrow will offer nineteen yearlings at the Karaka Premier Sale.

The four fillies offered by Pencarrow this year include a Redoute's Choice half-sister to two stakes performers (Lot 18) from Brief Truce mare Grace and Power, and the beautifully bred Pins filly from Sadler's Wells mare, Silver and Roses, a half-sister to the world record priced mare, Better Than Honour (Lot 236).

Of the fifteen colts on offer, Canny Lad, Choisir, Elvstroem, Encosta de Lago, Galileo, Johar, No Excuse Needed, Redoute's Choice, Savabeel, and Zenno Roby Roy are all represented. Amongst the standouts is the Redoute's Choice colt from Sunday Silence mare, Love Connection (Lot 98), a half-brother to Group 1 placed racemare, Stanica (Zabeel).

The Oaks Stud

Owned by Australian businessman Dick Karreman and managed by Rick Williams, The Oaks Stud is most widely recognised for the deeds of champion racemare Seachange, along with a successful team of young horses that includes Group 1 winner Keepa Cruisin and Group 1 placed Diamond Deck.

Since 2002 the Stud's steady expansion has seen it more than a double the size of its land holdings at its Waikato base and develop an international broodmare band that has flourished from 42 to 120 mares. The Stud also stands four commercial stallions: Darci Brahma, Spartacus, Bachelor Duke and Karaka 2009 first season sire, Keeninsky.

Karreman currently boasts two New Zealand Owner of the Year titles, two Horse of the Year trophies, along with a Broodmare of the Year title.

The Oaks Stud will offer fifty-two yearlings at Karaka 2009. From its new location in Barn A at Karaka, the Stud will start Sales week with a Premier Sale draft of 11 young horses. Amongst them yearlings by Bachelor Duke (2), Danehill Dancer (1), Fastnet Rock (1), Fusaichi Pegasus (1), More than Ready (1), O'Reilly (1), Spartacus (2) and Zabeel (2).

Rick Williams' pick of the draft is the Zabeel colt from unraced Shirley Heights mare, Emerald Cove (Lot 472) and the Bachelor Duke colt a few lots earlier from Doneze Girl, a close relation to Lonhro and Niello (Lot 458).

Te Akau Racing

Te Akau Racing kicks off proceedings on Karaka Million night, sponsoring Race 1 on the card at 5:10pm.

The Te Akau team consists of leading owner/syndicator David Ellis and New Zealand champion trainer Mark Walker. David is a renowned judge of selecting successful racehorses from the yearling ring, in total having bred or purchased over 100 Group race winners. He has been the leading New Zealand buyer at Karaka for the past three years and in 2008 outlaid $6,044,500 on 32 yearling purchases.

Mark Walker, the 2004, 2005 and 2006 New Zealand Champion Trainer of the Year, has quickly established himself as one of the leading horse trainers in the country. The Te Akau team currently leads this season's trainer's premiership with more wins, stakes wins and prizemoney (by over $1,000,000) than any other stable in New Zealand.

Amongst the selection of top quality gallopers to represent the stable this season include Princess Coup, winner of the Group 1 $2,000,000 Kelt Capital Stakes, and Tell A Tale, winner of the Group 1 $1,000,000 NZ 2000 Guineas.