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New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale

New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale Lot 385 / NZTM (p)


27 & 28 January 2014

David Ellis of Te Akau Racing went to NZ$700,000 ($579,028) during the session-topping lot 385, a Fastnet Rock (Aus) (Danehill) colt consigned by The Pencarrow Stud during the second session of the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale.

“He is one of the most stunning horses that you would see in the world, you wouldn’t find a better-looking horse,” commented Ellis. “I’ve bought two out of the mare already, the Wellesley Stakes winner Don Garcia (NZ) (Danehill) and Gr2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winer Te Akau Coup (NZ) (Thorn Park), and both of them have been stakes performers and this colt looks even better than those two.” Don Garcia cost NZ$1.05 million in 2005, while Te Akau Coup made NZ$150,00 in 2007.

Fastnet Rock’s strong results reflect a robust two-day sale where a total of 326 yearlings sold for NZ$47,132,500. The average of NZ$144,578 was down 8.5% from last year and the median of NZ$110,000 dropped 8.3% from 2013. There was a 22% buyback rate from the 469 lots catalogued, up from 20.8% last year.

“We’re thrilled with the buying bench, and the catalogue, and reports from buyers are very positive about the selection of horses on offer,” said NZB Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela. “There’s been clear strength throughout the past two days with some very spirited competition from a broad selection of local and international buyers. Talking to buyers, it seems the only adverse factor is our strong dollar, but fortunately that doesn’t affect the quality of the horses they’re purchasing so hopefully they’ll be just as well rewarded by their Karaka racehorses as ever.”

David Ellis, who also purchased a Pencarrow Stud- consigned Fastnet Rock filly, lot 139, for the same amount during Monday’s session, purchased a total of 35 yearlings for NZ$6.420 million, making him the sale’s leading buyer for the ninth year.

“There has been plenty of competition on the good horses,” Ellis explained. “It doesn’t matter what the market is doing, buyers come out of the woodwork when there is a good horse. The market heated up a lot today, which makes the horses we bought yesterday look like very good buys. I’ve purchased 35 horses in total, which has been my biggest sale,” Ellis continued. “I keep coming back to Karaka because the horses I have bought from New Zealand Bloodstock have got me the results.

Although Ellis led the way for domestic buys, which were responsible for 42% of the sales, a number of other countries were well represented in the auction ring. The Hong Kong Jockey Club became the second-leading buyer with nine purchased for a total of NZ$2,285,000. Australian-based buyers, led by the likes of Tom Magnier, Mick Price and Champion Thoroughbreds, accounted for 39% of the total turnover. David Redvers, the Bloodstock Advisor for Qatar Bloodstock, BBA Ireland, Charlie Hills from England, as well as purchasers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Netherlands and South Africa added to the international buyers in the sale.

Extracts from Thoroughbred Daily News