Strong LA Draft for National Sale

Little Avondale shuttle stallion Time Test. Photo: Supplied

Little Avondale Stud are confident the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale will continue the successful trend of previous auctions having had to move to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Wairarapa nursery will offer a select line-up of youngsters in the auction to run on plus.gavelhouse.com, including two by their exciting young shuttle stallion Time Test.

Weanlings from the first southern hemisphere crop of Dubawi’s dual Group Two winning son Time Test have generated a large amount of interest and Sam Williams is looking forward to seeing how they will be received on the market although he admits they are light in numbers.

“It hasn’t been easy to part with them,” Williams said. “I gather a lot of breeders with his (Time Test’s) foals have held onto them, but I really need to showcase our first season sire.

“Both our colts are from stakes performing mares, and they’re well grown sorts with plenty of strength.”

Resident sire Per Incanto enjoyed a strong run of results, posting 22 stakes performers in the 20 months preceding lockdown.

Two weeks ago he sired two winners on the card in Hong Kong, while in Australia impressive debut winners Icantoo and Lost and Running have continued the winning momentum.

“We had an abnormally high amount of Per Incanto fillies in 2019 so we can’t take them all to the yearling sales,” Williams said.

“His fillies are very popular, they’ve averaged $85,000 over all the books at the last two Karaka yearling sales, so there’s plenty of upside if you can pin-hook a nice weanling.

“The Ivy Hall filly is a great type; she’s got a cracking hindquarter. The mare’s first foal is stakes placed in Melbourne and her second foal has won four in Queensland, so she’s got a pedigree too.”

The Little Avondale weanling draft will be available for inspection from 10am Friday 19th June at Waikato Stud.