Chaldean show continues as Bhima go to $250k for weanling by Cambridge Stud shuttler
Cambridge Stud’s shuttler Chaldean (Frankel) has been very well received on his first trip over to the southern hemisphere and that positive reception is being replicated by his sales prices on both sides of the Tasman, with a colt by the Classic-winning stallion selling for a top-priced $250,000 during Thursday’s New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB) National Weanling Sale.
Sent through the ring by Haunui Farm, Lot 3 kicked off the sale in explosive fashion as he was knocked down to Mike Fleming’s Bhima Thoroughbreds, Blue Gum Farm and Suman Hedge Bloodstock.
The final price came in as the highest paid at the National Weanling Sale since a Savabeel (Zabeel) colt out of Bohemian Lily (O’Reilly) went for $360,000 in 2022.
“I bought a couple here a few years ago and I’m always happy to come over for the right horse that’s forward and well-moving,” Australian-based Fleming said.
“This colt’s a lovely horse. I came in yesterday, and with the rain, I didn’t get out yesterday so I waited until this morning. He was right at the top of my list.
“A few other people have come in with us on him, and we’ll get him back to New South Wales and see where he heads over there next year.”
The colt is the second foal out of the Showcasing (Oasis Dream) mare Novashow, who won twice on the track and also ran fourth in the Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) as a juvenile. This female line is a strong one, with the mare herself being a daughter of Listed winner Bonaichi (Fusaichi Pegasus) and also a granddaughter of VRC Emirates Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) scorer Bonanova (Star Way).
He is also just the second offspring of English 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) hero Chaldean to be sold at auction in the southern hemisphere, following on from a filly that made AU$180,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale earlier this month.
“This colt was only the second Chaldean that’s gone for auction in the southern hemisphere, and he had a very good filly that sold well at Great Southern in Melbourne,” Fleming said.
“If the sire is putting them together like that, I think the Aussie buyers will be into them next year as well, so that had a bearing for us too.”
On the price, Fleming said he felt the colt would always make in the region of $200,000 in Australian dollars.
“It’s always hard to know when you’ve got someone on the phone, but we were thinking that, with the horse he was and how he stacked up with the others, he was the sort of horse that was always going to make his 200,” Fleming said.
“I suppose, when you get to 200, you start converting it back to Aussie dollars. You know, in the end, he probably landed at about 200,000 Aussie.”
Haunui would also go on to have the equal-third top lot with a Super Seth (Dundeel) colt (Lot 121) out of unraced Per Incanto (Street Cry) mare Incanto Rose, who sold to Bleakley Bloodstock for $180,000.
“He was a really nice colt,” Libby Bleakley said. “We came here a few weanlings short at the end of the Australian series, so we just needed a couple of really nice standouts by good sires to fill out the draft for January. We are very happy to get our top-ranked one, very happy to get him.
“It’s also significant that he’s out of a Per Incanto mare. He’s having great success as a broodmare sire, obviously headed by Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong, so I’m happy to add this colt to the band.”
Thursday’s second-top lot was Lot 141, a bay colt by another Classic-winning shuttler in Paddington (Siyouni) that was sold for $190,000.
Purchased by Byerley Bloodstock, the colt was put through the ring by Seaton Park as a supplementary entry to the catalogue and attracted plenty of support as a half-brother to Group 1 winner Lion’s Roar (Contributer).
“It was obviously a big point going into the sale, him being a supplementary entry and a half-brother to a Group 1 winner,” Byerley’s Liam Peters said.
“He’s out of a family that obviously throws plenty of black type. And I was always personally a big fan of Paddington as a racehorse. I was quite shocked that he ended up shuttling to New Zealand – I thought he was one of those top-class racehorses that they [Coolmore] might have thought too valuable to travel. But it’s great that we have access to him through New Zealand. I’m really happy to have secured this bloke today.”
Peters revealed he placed the winning bid online, and praised the media that was provided of the colt before the sale.
“The videos get you every angle and can give you a bit of confidence, but also a big thank you to Andrew Buick and Mike Kneebone at NZB for helping out and sending through their thoughts as well and making it all very easy,” he said.
The colt will now head over to Australia to join Peters’ grandfather, renowned Western Australian owner Bob Peters, and race in the familiar cerise and white silks.
“He likes trying to aim for those Guineas or Derby style of horses, and we really hope that this bloke ends up fitting that profile,” Peters added. “He definitely looks like he will.
“It’s great to be tapping into that Siyouni bloodline as well through Paddington. St Mark’s Basilica has had a red-hot start, so it’s definitely a proven formula. We’ve got a couple of those at home that we quite like. It’ll be interesting going forward to see how they mature.
“The exchange rate definitely helps when we’re buying in New Zealand. We saw that with the yearling sale earlier in the year as well. We bought up there – I think we ended up with six, and we’re very happy with all those purchases. So we just thought we might as well have a crack, and really glad that we were able to secure something, even though it was so late in the sale.
“We’ll bring him straight home now and put him out with a few of our other weanlings and see how he compares with them. Hopefully he’s one of the standouts going forward.”
As well as his colt out of Incanto Rose, Coolmore’s new acquisition Super Seth had the other equal-third top lot of the day courtesy of Lot 16.
Consigned by Waikato Stud, the colt is out of the dual-winning Savabeel mare Popular, whose three foals to race are all winners and include Flemington scorer Wolfy (Tivaci) along with The NZB Kiwi (Listed, 1500m) fourth placegetter Sought After (Tivaci).
He was purchased by Paul Pertab, who would also secure a Per Incanto filly (Lot 14) for $65,000 and a Hilal (Fastnet Rock) colt (Lot 100) for $100,000 on the day.
“I like the sire, but couldn’t afford one of his progeny until today,” Pertab said. “As well as being by such a good sire, this colt has good legs and nice balance.
“They change so much between now and when you put a saddle on them, but you’ve just got to go with your gut instinct. I thought this was a tidy horse.
“Whether he goes towards the Ready to Run Sale or whatever else we do with him, it’s just going to depend on what mould he fits into at the time.”
A total of nine of Super Seth’s penultimate Kiwi weanling crop went through the Karaka sale ring on Thursday, with eight of them selling for a total of $965,000 and an average price of $120,625. The stallion will stand his first season at Coolmore next spring for a fee of A$137,500 (inc GST).
At the end of selling Paul Pertab was the leading buyer with his trio of purchases, while the leading vendor by both aggregate and average was Waikato Stud, selling nine lots for $704,500 at an average of $78,278.
All of the sale’s key metrics increased, with a total aggregate of $3,593,000 for the 102 weanlings sold at Karaka marking an increase of 49 per cent.
The compact 143-lot catalogue also witnessed an increased average of $35,255 (up 23 per cent), an impressive 89 per cent clearance rate, and a strong buying bench from Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong and Japan.
“The results today are very encouraging for the season ahead for both the Ready to Run and National Yearling Sale,” NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook said.
“The first season sires all sold very well, and the only disappointment was that we didn’t have enough horses to sell.
“Hopefully breeders will have a look at the results today and realise the wonderful opportunities that this Sale presents. It’s vital that this physical Weanling Sale continues, so NZB’s goal for next year is to increase the size of the catalogue.”
| 2026 | 2025 | |
| Catalogued | 143 | 144 |
| Offered | 114 | 115 |
| Sold | 102 (89%) | 84 (73%) |
| Aggregate | $3,593,000 ( +49.09%) | $2,410,000 |
| Average | $35,225 (+22.78%) | $28,690 |
| Median | $16,000 (+6.67%) | $15,000 |
| Top Lot | $250,000 (Lot 3) | $190,000 (Lot 13) |
| SALE STATS | ||||
| Leading sires by Average (three or more sold) | ||||
| Sire | Sold | Average | Aggregate | |
| Super Seth | 8 | $ 120,625 | $ 965,000 | |
| Sword of State | 10 | $ 52,700 | $ 527,000 | |
| Almanzor | 9 | $ 26,056 | $ 234,500 | |
| Ace High | 4 | $ 25,250 | $ 101,000 | |
| Mr Mozart* | 6 | $ 23,917 | $ 143,500 | |
| Leading Sires by Aggregate (three or more sold) | ||||
| Sire | Sold Count | Total Price | Average | |
| Super Seth | 8 | $965,000 | $120,625 | |
| Sword of State | 10 | $527,000 | $52,700 | |
| Almanzor | 9 | $234,500 | $26,056 | |
| Mr Mozart | 6 | $143,500 | $23,917 | |
| Leading Buyers | ||||
| Purchaser (Buyer) | Bought | Aggregate | Average | |
| Paul Pertab Bloodstock | 3 | $310,000 | $103,333 | |
| Bhima / Blue Gum Farm / Suman Hedge Bloodstock FBAA | 1 | $250,000 | $250,000 | |
| Milan Park Stud Ltd | 2 | $195,000 | $97,500 | |
| Byerley Bloodstock | 1 | $190,000 | $190,000 | |
| Bleakley Bloodstock Ltd | 1 | $180,000 | $180,000 | |
| Kilgravin Lodge / Bevan Smith Bloodstock | 2 | $165,000 | $82,500 | |
| Tom Moore | 1 | $160,000 | $160,000 | |
| Henley Park / Woburn Farm | 2 | $160,000 | $80,000 | |
| Kaha Nui Farm | 2 | $140,000 | $70,000 | |
| Mr Hongwei Chen | 1 | $120,000 | $120,000 | |
| Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold) | ||||
| Vendor | Sold | Average | Aggregate | |
| Waikato Stud | 9 | $ 78,278 | $ 704,500 | |
| Seaton Park | 7 | $ 59,000 | $ 413,000 | |
| Haunui Farm | 11 | $ 56,818 | $ 625,000 | |
| Curraghmore | 4 | $ 54,375 | $ 217,500 | |
| Hallmark Stud | 10 | $ 48,300 | $ 483,000 | |
| Little Avondale Stud | 3 | $ 37,500 | $ 112,500 | |
| Cambridge Stud | 8 | $ 29,875 | $ 239,000 | |
| HGT Bloodstock | 3 | $ 27,167 | $ 81,500 | |
| Brighthill Farm | 10 | $ 20,750 | $ 207,500 | |
| Jamieson Park | 3 | $ 19,000 | $ 57,000 | |
| Leading Vendors by Aggregate | ||||
| Vendor | Sold | Aggregate | Average | |
| Waikato Stud | 9 | $ 704,500 | $ 78,278 | |
| Haunui Farm | 11 | $ 625,000 | $ 56,818 | |
| Hallmark Stud | 10 | $ 483,000 | $ 48,300 | |
| Seaton Park | 7 | $ 413,000 | $ 59,000 | |
| Cambridge Stud | 8 | $ 239,000 | $ 29,875 | |
| Curraghmore | 4 | $ 217,500 | $ 54,375 | |
| Brighthill Farm | 10 | $ 207,500 | $ 20,750 | |
| Highline Thoroughbreds | 2 | $ 195,000 | $ 97,500 | |
| Little Avondale Stud | 3 | $ 112,500 | $ 37,500 | |
| Rich Hill Stud | 7 | $ 92,000 | $ 13,143 | |
| Purchaser Location | Purchased | Average | Total Price | Percentage |
| Waikato | 51 | $34,745 | $1,772,000 | 49.32% |
| New South Wales | 4 | $118,000 | $472,000 | 13.14% |
| Victoria | 9 | $26,889 | $242,000 | 6.74% |
| Manawatu-Whanganui | 9 | $24,944 | $224,500 | 6.25% |
| Auckland | 12 | $17,625 | $211,500 | 5.89% |
| Western Australia | 1 | $190,000 | $190,000 | 5.29% |
| China | 2 | $62,500 | $125,000 | 3.48% |
| Hawke’s Bay | 3 | $28,833 | $86,500 | 2.41% |
| Wellington | 3 | $26,000 | $78,000 | 2.17% |
| Other | 1 | $65,000 | $65,000 | 1.81% |
| Queensland | 1 | $40,000 | $40,000 | 1.11% |
| Otago | 2 | $18,750 | $37,500 | 1.04% |
| Hong Kong | 1 | $35,000 | $35,000 | 0.97% |
| Canterbury | 1 | $12,000 | $12,000 | 0.33% |
| Southland | 2 | $1,000 | $2,000 | 0.06% |
| Top Lots | ||||||
| Lot | Sex | Sire | Dam | Vendor | Purchaser | Price |
| 3 | Colt | Chaldean | Novashow | Haunui Farm | Bhima (NSW) | $ 250,000 |
| 141 | Colt | Paddington | Minnaleo | Seaton Park Ltd | Byerley Bloodstock (Western Australia) | $ 190,000 |
| 16 | Colt | Super Seth | Popular | Waikato Stud Ltd | Paul Pertab Bloodstock (Waikato) | $ 180,000 |
| 121 | Colt | Super Seth | Incanto Rose | Haunui Farm | Bleakley Bloodstock Ltd (Manawatu-Whanganui) | $ 180,000 |
| 133 | Colt | Super Seth | Loquita | Highline Thoroughbreds | Tom Moore (NSW) | $ 160,000 |
| 95 | Colt | Super Seth | Date Night | Waikato Stud Ltd | Milan Park Stud Ltd (Waikato) | $ 150,000 |
| 81 | Colt | Wrote | Camarosa | Hallmark Stud | Mr Hongwei Chen (China) | $ 120,000 |
| 136 | Colt | Sword of State | Madame Giselle | Hallmark Stud | Riversley Park (Waikato) | $ 110,000 |
| 63 | Colt | Per Incanto | War Piglet | Little Avondale Stud | Kilgravin Lodge / Bevan Smith Bloodstock (Waikato) | $ 105,000 |
| 59 | Colt | Almanzor | Vin Rouge | Cambridge Stud | Derek Boocock (Hawke’s Bay) | $ 85,000 |
| 82 | Colt | Super Seth | Caramel Sundae | Waikato Stud Ltd | Henley Park / Woburn Farm (Waikato) | $ 85,000 |