Signboards highlighting the success of New Zealand-bred horses worldwide are a common sight at the beautiful Karaka sales complex, a comfortable 30-minute drive from Auckland's central business district.
Signboards highlighting the success of New Zealand-bred horses worldwide are a common sight at the beautiful Karaka sales complex, a comfortable 30-minute drive from Auckland's central business district. And there is plenty to shout about this year, with the sale coming only three months after Prince Of Penzance, a Kiwi long-shot, came up trumps in the G1 Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington to give Michelle Payne the honour of becoming the first female jockey to win Australia's iconic race.
In the 'old days,' New Zealand-bred horses were always the ones to follow in the G1 Melbourne Cup. They had the old-fashioned bloodlines, laden with stamina, that were used so effectively to brush Aussie stayers aside in the final stages of the race.
The emergence of the European imports over the past 20 years suddenly pushed the Kiwis into the background. But Prince Of Penzance has reversed that trend. By Pentire, and bred by John Thompson's Rich Hill Stud Farm in partnership with Katsumi Yoshida, of Northern Farm, Japan, he has ensured that the New Zealand stayer is back in fashion.
It is against this backdrop that New Zealand's 90th National Yearling Sale will be conducted this week, starting Monday, 25th January. Many with the profiles of future Cup winners, not to mention G1 Cox Plate and G1 Emirates Stakes winners, are among the 1,378 lots in the three books assembled by New Zealand Bloodstock.
The Premier Sale takes place on Monday and Tuesday, the Select Sale on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, while the Festival Sale is scheduled for Sunday.
Prince Of Penzance sold at the 2011 Premier Sale for NZ$50,000.
Rule of thumb, these are the horses who should dominate the middle-distance and staying contests in Australasia in future years, while Sydney's two Inglis-run sales (in February and April) are a regular source of early-coming two-year-olds and sprinters. But that is just the theory. In practice, anything can happen.
Two years ago, a colt by Tavistock, went through the ring at the Select Sale for NZ$45,000. Trained by Mick Price, and later named Tarzino, he bolted in with the G1 Victoria Derby at Flemington last November.
No surprise then that his brother, a handsome brown colt, appears in this year's Premier (1st) Book, and looks certain to bring three to four times the amount paid for his sibling. That is the nature of horse sales. Quite often, a new elite family can be sparked by the performances of one horse, and sometimes a famous old bloodline can be re-vitalised by one specific mating.
Frankel, who retired unbeaten in October 2012, is still making headlines, even here in New Zealand. Lot 445 is a bay colt offered by Pencarrow Stud, Cambridge, by Frankel out of a Zabeel mare, who is from one of New Zealand's blue-blooded families that includes Romani Conti, Darci Brahma and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal.
Then there is Lot 113, a pure white (in colour) filly by High Chaparral out of The Opera House. The novelty value is high with this one, but she has outstanding conformation and temperament, according to her handlers.
How successful will the Karaka Sale be? Mike Moran, of Windsor Park, said: "Inspections are up on last year, and it looks like a good turnout. So, hopefully, it will be a good buyers' bench.
"Sales at the Gold Coast were very good, but that doesn't always translate to Karaka. But New Zealand Bloodstock seem to have the right people here, so hopefully it will be good. We have some fantastic lots to sell," he added.
