2024 Karaka Yearling Sale Review

Horse Racing in New Zealand appears to be in really rude health at present.

The Karaka Millions meeting on Saturday brought record levels of wagering turnover, with $9.5 million NZD wagered over the course of the meeting — up from the previous country record of $7.55m NZD at the NZ Trotting Cup in 2022. Year on Year turnover up 66% overall at the meeting.

Straight out of the traps of the on-track meeting at the regenerated Ellerslie racecourse we bounded into a record-breaking NZB Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale; 2024 eclipsing previous records on turnover and average. Turnover was up to $168,257 from a $151,980 base in 2023, average increasing to $168,257 in 2024 from $151,980 in 2023.

This piece will provide some of our customary analysis both on the market dynamics of the sale and also our top rated lots at racing².

The price distributions across the sale were pretty even overall, although you could say there was a slight element of front loading. It certainly calmed down somewhat on lots 550+.

Fillies were all the rage over the course of the 3 days of Book 1, but still didn’t manage to edge out the Colts. Fillies returned a Median Sale Price overall of $110,000 vs. $150,000 for the Colts. Averages were $159,417 and $176,076 respectively.

Note the upper bar going to $1.6 million for Lot 21, a full-sister to the superstar mare Prowess, purchased by Peter Moody for $1.6m.

The buying bench was a diverse group of global representatives, with USA based buyers returning the highest purchase averages overall; US based operation, Gandharvi, purchasing two lots at $420,000 and $600,000 respectively.

Te Akau and Waikato were active enough to get their own entities in the location list; David Ellis & Te Akau with an average spend of $223,846 and Waikato $146,441.

Elsdon Park performed best of the vendors overall with >1 lot sold. Returning a sale median at $240,000 and average of $271,429. With 14 lots offered overall, they sold 11 and returned $3.8m total.

Of the buyers, Peter Moody was particularly strong and went for it across all price ranges. Including the aforementioned Proisir filly. His median returning at $300,000 with an average spend of $615,000 across 8 purchases at the sale.

David Ellis was very active in terms of volume of purchases; 28 overall. But the purse strings were slightly tighter than on the Gold Coast, a median spend of $210,000 and $228,000 average.

Hong Kong was well represented by the team of Jamie Richards & Andrew Williams, plus Patella Bloodstock. Jamie Richards picking up 6 yearlings for a $387,500 median and $395,000 average. Patella Bloodstock signing for two lots at $350,000 and $700,000.

Of the sires with >3 lots offered at the sale, Justify was the top performer on Median and Average; returning a $420,000 median and $373,333 average. Although of 5 lots offered he did have 2 lots Passed In.

A new King? Proisir certainly staked his claim as the successor to legendary NZ sire Savabeel, or even a claim at the crown himself. His progeny returned a sale median of $230,000 and average of $274,444 vs. a median of $210,000 for Savabeel and average of $261,463.

Now to our top rated lots of Karaka Book 1 2024 at racing².

Lot 2 Contributer x Damesel
Mapperley Stud Ltd
Bourne Racing Stables Pty Ltd
$100,000

It didn’t take long for our first high scoring lot of the sale. This colt at Lot 2 by Contributer was a 95.74% scorer right off the bat.

Second foal out of an O’Reilly mare, Damesel. Her first foal is a 2yo.

Lot 8 Tivaci x Deluxe
Waikato Stud Ltd
Go Racing Ltd / Blandford Bloodstock
$90,000

Thought this Tivaci filly was a lovely pick up for $90,000. She’s the second foal out of a winning Savabeel mare in Deluxe, rating 90.46% on our scores.

Lot 43 Ole Kirk x Empyrean
Pencarrow Stud
Go Racing Ltd
$200,000

Thought he was a beauty of a colt. By Ole Kirk, out of unraced O’Reilly mare Empyrean. Just love the angle of young sire and young mare with her first or second foal. He’s her second foal. Massive scorer at 99.15%

Lot 55 Zoustar x Evalina
Elsdon Park
Jamie Richards
$725,000

Absolute beauty of a Zoustar colt. He had a massive score for us of 97.99% on biomechanics.

Out of blacktype Vinnie Mare, Evalina. Winner of the Levin Stakes. Off to Hong Kong to race for Jamie Richards.

Lot 81
Shamus Award x Fille Champagne
Westbury Stud
DC Ellis
$75,000

We’ve seen good results when highly rated horses of ours line up with purchases by David Ellis of Te Akau; Captured by Love, Bellatrix Star. Notable that both are fillies in line with this Shamus Award filly out of Sebring mare, Fille Champagne.

She’s had one foal to race in the form of double winner Champagne Torque. With a 3yo and 2yo yet to make the track.

Lot 92
Per Incanto x French Lion
Phoenix Park
Tartan Meadow Bloodstock
$225,000

Per Incanto colt, set for Hong Kong. Dam French Lion is a proven producer; 5 runners, 3 winners to race from 8 foals. Including Caduceus, winner of the Champagne Stakes.

Lot 109
Super Seth x Gold Fever
Waikato Stud
DC Ellis
$190,000

David Ellis goes for this lovely Super Seth filly out of racemare Gold Fever, who raced for Te Akau. She was a winner of the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes for the tangerine.

Lot 117
Savabeel x Happily
Waikato Stud
Bruce Perry Bloodstock
$450,000

Second foal out of Pins mare, Happily. 98.54% rated this colt was picked up by Bruce Perry, whom i’d regard as one of the sharpest buyers in New Zealand.

Lot 133
Ace High x Hot in Pink
Waikato Stud
Wexford Stables
$260,000

High scoring Ace High colt @ 96.68%. Out of Lonhro mare, Hot in Pink — a 100% 3/3 winners to runners producer. (He’s her 5th foal).

He goes to trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott at Wexford Stables.

Lot 159
Savabeel x Kansas
Waikato Stud
DC Ellis
$210,000

Have i ever mentioned that when…

Lot 178
El Roca x La Landonne
Highline Thoroughbreds
Wallace Thoroughbreds Ltd
$190,000

Did like this El Roca colt, first foal out of a double winning Iffraaj mare; La Landonne.

Lot 185
Wootton Bassett x Legless Veuve
Woburn Farm
TFI
$200,000

You’re doing well to get a Wootton Bassett colt for $200k anywhere in the world these days. We liked him and he had good scores on both the biomechanics and angular models.

The mare, Legless Veuve, hasn’t done much from 3 foals of racing age (only 2 3yo or older). Some might count that against him but the sample sizes are SMALL.

Goes to TFI in Queensland.

Lot 198
Ace High x Lunada
Kilgravin Lodge
Proven Thoroughbreds / Pride Racing
$220,000

Another high scoring Ace High colt @ 91.15%.

Lot 210
Kingman x Marsden Cross
Pencarrow Stud
Hong Kong Jockey Club
$650,000

Did really like this Kingman colt, picked up by Boomer Bloodstock on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

First foal out of Camelot mare, Marsden Cross. From the family of UK 1000 Guineas winner Mother Earth.

The HKJC have a howling record for the money they’ve spent on Bloodstock in the past decade. A change in strategy towards Boomer Bloodstock will yield a marked improvement as he/ they are good judges.

Lot 214
Savabeel x Mary Quant
Waikato Stud
Michael Freedman / Mick Wallace
$100,000

Kicking off Day 2

Lot 252
Bivouac x Naadirah
Windsor Park Stud
DC Ellis
$100,000

96.04% rated and one of our highest scoring lots of the sale on both models.

Have I ever mentioned that when….

Lot 269
Savabeel x Nymph
Windsor Park Stud
Ritchie Murray Racing
$300,000

90% + rated Savabeel filly. Dam Nymph has had two runners to race, both winners; Aeecee Express, Pixie Express.

Lot 271
Hello Youmzain x Okahu Bay
Trewlaney Stud
Richard and Will Freedman / Pinhook Bloodstock International (FBAA)
$150,000

Hello Youmzain scored well for us in the 2023 Northern Hemisphere yearling sales and has continued that thread here in New Zealand. This filly was a high scorer at 93.96%

Flying Spur mare, Okahu Bay was a Group 3 winner of the South Australia Fillies Classic and is a proven black type producer; Pareanui Bay, winner of Group 2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes.

Lot 316
Ocean Park x Podravina
Pencarrow Stud
John Foote Bloodstock
$70,000

Potential value play here at $70,000.

We had this Ocean Park colt highly rated at 93.13%. He’s the second foal out of blacktype Bel Esprit mare Podravina.

Lot 335
Tivaci x Queen Leonora
Waikato
Wexford Stables
$150,000

Lot 341
Savabeel x Quizzy Lizzy
Elsdon Park
Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ)
$240,000

Lot 359
Wootton Bassett x Romantic Vision
Haunui Farm
Passed In @ $250,000

This Wootton Bassett colt was Passed In at $250,000 but we had him highly rated at 91.15%. You’d expect they’d be retaining him to race.

Lot 361
Almanzor x Rosa Carolina
Elsdon Park
Mr RA James / Mr R Wellwood
$220,000

Athletic Almanzor filly from Elsdon Park.

Lot 371
Per Incanto x Saoirse
Hallmark Stud
Jamie Richards / Andrew Williams
$220,000

Lot 385
Wootton Bassett x Semillon
Cambridge Stud
HKJC
$240,000

Scored as one of our top rated lots of the entire sale, strong on both the biomechanics and conformation scores.

As ever, if you’re interested in contacting me you can find me at racingsquared@gmail.com