NZB Ready 2 Run Sale Wraps With a Flourish

The New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale finished with a flurry Nov. 18 with 10 2-year-olds selling for NZ$300,000 (US$183,540) or more during the amplified session, notably including a colt by Capitalist, the latest stallion making his mark in the important export market of Hong Kong.

Agent John Foote signed for the sale-topping NZ$625,000 ($382,375) colt—one of seven juveniles to make half a million or more at Karaka across the two days—who was purchased to race in Hong Kong.

Consignor Shane Crawford from Regal Farm knows a thing or two about top-class horses and he has given his seal of approval for the colt by Capitalist, who ran up in :10.31 in his breeze-up.  

"The colt was a breeze to deal with from day one. I knew he was good from the first time I put my leg over him. He gave me a magic feel and I have ridden some good ones, including Octagonal as a young horse," Crawford said.

"He has a good horse's attitude and he's been smooth sailing all the way. I bought him in June at Magic Millions and I had him on the market at AUS$250,000 ($166,794), so everything went to plan."

Hong Kong's David Hall will train the colt, who is the third foal out of the group 3-placed winner of four races, Sebrina.

By the same sire as Sunday's impressive Sha Tin winner Superb Capitalist and Savvy Chic, who scored at Happy Valley on Wednesday night, he was purchased for AUS$155,000 ($111,561) from the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in June by Regal Farm and Upper Bloodstock.

Catalogued as Lot 258 yesterday, he was also sold through the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale when making AUS$250,000 to noted sellers Silverdale Farm and agent Suman Hedge.

"(Capitalist) is doing well in Hong Kong so far. (The owners) are keen on the stallion and were happy to buy him," Foote said.

"He is a beautiful horse and he breezed well. He is by a proven stallion and had everything that you want for Hong Kong at the moment.

"He breezed well and he has a good action and pedigree."

There were 17 horses sold across the two days for NZ$300,000 or more, with the average increasing to NZ$129,159 ($79,019) at the conclusion of Day 2, while the median held firm at NZ$80,000 ($48,944). The clearance rate, which was 65% after Day 1, was at 76% last night with further trade expected to conclude in the next few days. The aggregate was at NZ$25.186 million ($15,408,795).

Carter Making His Mark on the Other Side of the Fence

A colt by Coolmore shuttler Justify   also broke through the half-a-million-dollar barrier yesterday, with Morgan Carter paying NZ$520,000 ($318,136) for the Ohukia Lodge-consigned 2-year-old.

The AUS$60,000 ($43,366) Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale graduate, who is out of Foxwedge  (Fastnet Rock ) mare Santa Clara, clocked :10.47 in his breeze-up and Carter and his client, Hong Kong trainer Michael Chang, are already dreaming of victory in Hong Kong's most sought-after race.

"I absolutely loved the horse. He's tough and strong and he's got everything going for him," Carter said.

"He's not perfect in front, but you look at the whole picture and this is the sort of horse who will get you the Hong Kong Derby."

A contract auctioneer for New Zealand Bloodstock for many years, Carter has forged a relationship with Hong Kong trainer Chang which led to yesterday's purchase.

Chang already trains the Carter-bought Ching (Frosted  ), a 4-year-old who was runner-up at Sha Tin on Nov. 6. Ching was bred by the Llanhennock Trust and he won two trials in January at Cambridge and Ellerslie, before being sent to Hong Kong.

"Michael and I have been doing a bit of business together and I have got him a horse recently called Ching," Carter said.

"He came from this sale actually and he's just come out and run a huge second at Sha Tin the other day and since then we've done a couple more deals and Michael and I have partnered up with his exports from New Zealand.

"We wanted one decent horse today and he's made in the same shape and size as Ching, so it won't be long and we'll see him come through the ranks in Hong Kong."

Strong finish leaves NZB directors happy

NZB director of business development Mike Kneebone was delighted with the way the Ready to Run Sale closed out.

"As I said (on Wednesday), the sale started to come right with a really strong last three or four hours and that was a strong indicator of how (today) would go," Kneebone told ANZ Bloodstock News.

"With that market, the selling rate increased and that was the big goal for us, to get the horses sold. Some purchasers mentioned that maybe the horses were (believed to be of) better quality on Day 2, but that's just the luck of the draw, really.

"Certainly, having that selling rate (83% on Day 2 alone) is a big plus for us and it could even go quite a bit higher than 76% (for the whole sale), because the passed in horses are selling really well at the moment.

"We've always concentrated on getting a big buying bench here and we've done that in the top end consistently, but I think it was the middle market which really pulled us through this time.

"The Singaporean, the Malaysian, the Australian side of things, the South Koreans, having them buying in numbers and with confidence really helped that middle market and really lifted the whole sale at the end of the day."

Riversley Park was the leading vendor for the sixth year in a row, selling 27 2-year-olds for a combined NZ$5,192,500 ($3,176,772) while Ohukia Lodge sold 26 for a total of NZ$4,927,500 ($3,014,645).

"We're very happy with the pinhooks and for the clients that trusted us with their horses," Riversley's Sam Beatson said.

"The sale was strong on the second day. We did have some great results on the first day and we're still doing business now.

"If we're all doing it and doing it well, everyone's happy and everyone goes back and buys more horses at the yearling sales."

Mark and Lorraine Forbes of Kiltannon Stables claimed the leading vendor by average title, selling five 2-year-olds at an average of NZ$194,000 ($118,689), including a top price of NZ$350,000 ($214,130).

Champion New Zealand trainer Jamie Richards, who has made Hong Kong his home, was the leading buyer at his first sale as an international trainer, purchasing five juveniles in conjunction with agent Andrew Williams for NZ$1.375 million ($841,225).