Expectations Smashed in New Era of Selling

Lot 826 (Wandjina x Home Alone) purchased for $150,000. Photo: Supplied

New Zealand Bloodstock’s 95th National Yearling Sale Series exceeded all expectations after a buoyant atmosphere continued to play out in the final session of Book 2. 

The market remained competitive throughout the last session, with key sale indicators tracking well ahead of last year’s final figures.

After the final lot went under the hammer, 212 lots sold for a total turnover of $8,853,500. The average soared to $41,759 from $35,012 while the median closed at $30,000 from $25,000 and the clearance rate reached 76%. 

NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was ecstatic as the gavel fell on the final lot at Karaka 2021.

“The amazing success in Book 2 illustrates the increasing confidence in the New Zealand domestic market.”

“Book 2 figures usually mirror Book 1, so to see the significant increase in average and median over the past two days is very encouraging going forward.”

“We are very thankful for the support we have received from our domestic market on the ground here at Karaka, as well as our international markets who were active via our online bidding platform.”

“We must give full credit to our vendors who took things to the next level this year, allowing buyers to have full confidence in our Sale,” Seabrook added.  

NZB Director and Business Development Manager Mike Kneebone commented on New Zealand’s stability in the international market over the past week of selling.

“It was all hands on deck with the international buyers this year.”

“It was about relationships that have already been built over so many years here in New Zealand and it was great the way the buyers and vendors operated together.

“Our Ready to Run Sale set the benchmark for online sales and when the time came for our international clients to bid at Karaka 2021, they used the platform magnificently,” Kneebone said.

The two highest priced lots of Day Two in Book 2 were both purchased for $150,000 and are destined for stables based on kiwi soil and offshore.

Wexford Stables purchased Lot 826, a colt by Wandjina out of Home Alone (NZ) (O’Reilly) sold on account of H. E. Richardson, while Mr J Pang purchased Lot 908, a Satono Aladdin colt out of My Hope (NZ) (Howbaddoyouwantit) from Ardsley Stud’s draft. 

With 200 less horses catalogued in this year’s Book 2 Sale, a total of 15 lots we sold for an amount of $100,000 or more, compared to last year’s total of 14.  

The leading vendor at the conclusion of Book 2 was Sam and Catriona Williams’ Little Avondale Stud, selling 12 horses for a total turnover of $778,000.

The leading vendor by average was Cameron and Eva Heron’s Highline Thoroughbreds, selling six lots averaging $101,667.

Little Avondale’s resident stallions also topped the sires tables, with Per Incanto averaging $81,333 for nine lots sold and first season sire Time Test averaging $58,400 for 10 lots sold.

The attention now turns to our National Online Yearling Sale held on NZB online subsidiary Gavelhouse Plus. Bidding will open on Friday 29 January at 9AM (NZT), with the Sale closing on Wednesday 3 February at 7PM (NZT).

The next physical sale to be hosted at NZB’s Karaka Sales Centre is the National Weanling Sale on Friday 14 May 2021.

View the full Book 2 results here.

To enquire about Passed Lots contact Regan Donnison on +64 21 512 466 or email regan.donnison@nzb.co.nz or Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email kane.jones@nzb.co.nz.

Catch the highlights and Lot-by-Lot footage from Book 2 here.

All horses purchased at Karaka are eligible for the lucrative Karaka Million Series with two $1 million races available for graduates as two and three-year-olds, plus the CollinsonForex Karaka Cup for the duration of their career. To nominate your yearling, email mitch.davis@nzb.co.nz or call +64 298 0055. Entries close Monday 1 March 2021 at 5PM (NZT).

2021 Book 2 Sale Statistics

 2021 BOOK 2 TOTAL2020 BOOK 2 TOTAL
AGGREGATE$8,853,000$9,873,500
AVERAGE$41,759$35,012
MEDIAN$30,000$25,000
CLEARANCE76%69%
CATALOGUED339473
SOLD212282
TOP LOTLot 725 Churchill – Astrid (Ch.F) $200,000Lot 859 Vadamos – Silke Top (B.C) $185,000

2021 Book 2 Top Lots

LotTypeBreedingVendorPurchaserPrice
725Ch.FChurchill / AstridBerkley StudMr RA James / Mr R Wellwood (Waikato)$200,000
713Ch.CProisir / All Can PartyHighline ThoroughbredsKaipira Lodge (Waikato)$180,000
735B.FPer Incanto / BelleramaLittle Avondale StudMr GE Harding (Waikato)$170,000
664Ch.CPer Incanto / Special DrawHighline ThoroughbredsMr G Cremendes (Manawatu-Whanganui)$155,000
826BB.CWandjina / Home AloneH. E. RichardsonWexford Stables (Waikato)$150,000
908B.CSatono Aladdin / My HopeArdsley Stud LimitedMr J Pang (Singapore)$150,000
843BR.CBelardo / KeepabreakLittle Avondale StudUpper Bloodstock / Legends Bloodstock / Regal Farm / Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Hong Kong)$140,000
710B.CTime Test / AffrettandoWainui LtdPaul Moroney Bloodstock / Ballymore Stables NZ (Waikato)$130,000
721B.CBelardo / ArninaHaunui FarmMr LL Lee (Hong Kong)$130,000
785BR.CPer Incanto / Enyanna MarieArdsley Stud LimitedUpper Bloodstock / Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Victoria)$130,000

2021 Book 2 Leading Purchasers by Aggregate

BuyerBoughtAggregateAverageTop PriceTop Lot
Wexford Stables (Waikato)5$350,000$70,000$150,000826
Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Ballymore Stables NZ (Waikato)6$297,500$49,583$130,000710
Kaipira Lodge (Waikato)3$277,500$92,500$180,000713
Upper Bloodstock / Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Hong Kong)3$220,000$73,333$130,000785
Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Taranaki)5$210,000$42,000$95,000890
Mr RA James / Mr R Wellwood (Waikato)1$200,000$200,000$200,000725
Chris Rutten Bloodstock (BAFNZ) (Wellington)3$197,500$65,833$115,000626
Mr LL Lee (Hong Kong)2$197,500$98,750$130,000721
Lisa Latta Racing (Manawatu-Whanganui)5$191,500$38,300$50,000821
Mr GE Harding (Waikato)1$170,000$170,000$170,000735

2021 Book 2 Leading Vendors by Aggregate

VendorSoldAggregateAverageTop PriceTop Lot
Little Avondale Stud12$778,000$64,833$170,000735
Haunui Farm16$681,500$42,594$130,000721
Highline Thoroughbreds6$610,000$101,667$180,000713
Highview21$511,500$24,357$80,000690
Westbury Stud14$492,500$35,179$55,000612
Mapperley Stud12$481,000$40,083$90,000589
Ardsley Stud8$474,500$59,313$150,000908
Rich Hill Stud11$363,000$33,000$57,500647
Grangewilliam Stud16$349,000$21,813$56,000732
CH Bloodstock6$306,000$51,000$100,000711

2021 Book 2 Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold)

VendorSoldAverageAggregateTop PriceTop Lot
Highline Thoroughbreds6$101,667$610,000$180,000713
Berkley Stud4$75,500$302,000$200,000725
Little Avondale Stud12$64,833$778,000$170,000735
Kilgravin Lodge3$64,000$192,000$100,000847
Ardsley Stud8$59,313$474,500$150,000908
Valachi Downs3$54,667$164,000$100,000717
CH Bloodstock6$51,000$306,000$100,000711
Highden Park5$49,200$246,000$70,000784
Wentwood Grange3$46,333$139,000$95,000890
Woburn Farm6$45,583$273,500$67,500657

2021 Book 2 Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold)

SireSoldAverageAggregateTop PriceTop Lot
Per Incanto9$81,333$732,000$170,000735
Time Test*10$58,400$584,000$130,000710
Proisir12$56,667$680,000$180,000713
Sacred Falls7$56,429$395,000$95,000890
Belardo17$52,382$890,500$140,000843
Contributer5$52,200$261,000$100,000717
Satono Aladdin*11$51,955$571,500$150,000908
Tivaci4$51,875$207,500$110,000794
Zacinto4$49,750$199,000$100,000847
Charm Spirit11$40,000$440,000$86,000883

*First Season Sire