Contributer generating excitement prior to yearling sales

Contributer Photo: Supplied

Emerging young sire Contributer has gained some serious momentum leading into the 2021 NZB Yearling Sales at Karaka later this month.  

Contributer is starting to make a name for himself as an up-and-coming sire on both sides of the Tasman. He is currently sitting at the top of the New Zealand based 2nd season sire list for winners and earnings in Australasia. 

The dual Gr.1 winning son of High Chaparral has had a purple patch of recent winners, which means his progeny will be well sought after at New Zealand’s premier yearling sale of the year. 

Contributer’s progeny started off strongly in Australia when he sired two individual 2 year-old winners in Australia from his first crop. The only previous New Zealand based sires to achieve this feat in the last 5 years have been Ocean Park and Charm Spirit. 

Beginning their 3 year-old season, the John O’Shea trained Lion’s Roar put his hand up as serious horse winning 3 of his 5 starts and a gallant 2nd in the Gr.1 Spring Champion stakes behind star filly Montefilia. 

His second crop (who are now only 2 year-olds) have already made an impact with the stakes placed Follow Your Dreams winning 2 of his 4 starts and firmly in the market for the Karaka Million 2yo race on the 23rd January 2021. 

Other notable stakes performers include Lily’s Lady and Miss Dixie and it will not have gone unnoticed that 4 of his 33 starters have already gained black type. 

In addition to the above, summer racing has unearthed some exciting 3 year-old prospects in New Zealand, as highlighted by the two unbeaten fillies Campionessa and Maria Farina.  

Campionessa is out of the stakes producing O’Reilly mare Bella Carolina. The nick with O’Reilly mares is becoming evident with 2 of his stakes horses out of O’Reilly mares as well as Campionessa who looks destined for success at group level. 

Prepared by leading trainer Jamie Richards, the filly has been impressive to date racking up big winning margins in both her races. A tilt at the Gr.3 NZB Desert Gold Stakes looks to be in order for the promising daughter of Contributer. 

Contributer’s other unbeaten filly, Maria Farina, showed her class with a fantastic last to first victory over 1200m at Ellerslie. The filly is yet to put a foot wrong, with two dazzling trial victories and two race wins over 1050m and 1200m. Her next start is likely to be on Karaka millions night in the Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy over 1200m. 

His success has been seen in Australia as well, with promising fillies Benefactress and Donatrice emerging as serious prospects for the Autumn. Benefactress is starting to put together an impressive resume, bagging a stylish win at Caulfield over 1600m for the team at Ellerton and Zahra Racing.  

Donatrice, a half-sister to the Gr.2 winner Mime, showed her inherent natural talent when she swooped down the outside to win emphatically at only her second start for Ballarat trainer Archie Alexander. She was purchased out of the 2019 NZB Book 1 sale for $130,000 and looks to be on a path towards the AJC Oaks later this Autumn. 

Contributer has 6 yearlings catalogued in Book 1 at the NZB Yearling Sales later this month and another 5 catalogued in Book 2 of the sale. 

Mapperley Stud is buoyed by the success of Contributer leading into the sale and will present 2 colts and 2 fillies in Book 1, as well as another 2 fillies in Book 2. 

“The winners are starting to flow for him and it’s perfect timing leading into the sale. We have an extremely nice line up of Contributer’s to present at the sale” said Stud Master Simms Davison 

Lot 356 is a Contributer colt out of the stakes producing mare Dosh. He is a half-brother to 7 individual winners including Sacred Park, winner of the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas and Gr.3 ARC Bonecrusher Stakes 

“He is an outstanding type, a powerful athletic colt. He’s built in the same mould as his old man. He’s got a tremendous presence about him” said Davison 

Another highlight in the Mapperley Stud draft is Lot 363, a stunning Contributer filly out of the Gr.2 Sir Tristam Fillies Classic winner Due Diligence. 

“The Due Diligence filly is an eye catcher; she’s a lovely moving athletic filly and I see her as a real thousand guineas type of horse” 

Mapperley Stud will be parading their draft out of Barn D at the Karaka complex starting next week.