Karaka Day 4: ANZ Bloodstock News’ top lots
Keeping with the daily 1pm start time, Book 2 of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale features a wide selection of more than 50 sires. This sale offers the opportunity to find that nice type without the hefty price tag.
Last November, Westbury Stud’s young sire Telperion (Street Cry) enjoyed a very successful Ready To Run Sale, his first crop making a big impression on buyers. Building on that success, his first – and so far only – runner Stormy took out the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) at Trentham in a strong win just two weeks later on December 5. Stormy followed that up with a first-rate second in the Eclipse Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) on New Year’s Day, in which he and the winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) had the finish to themselves.
Three by Telperion have the pedigrees to get the first hour of Book 2 off to a solid start, beginning with Archer Park’s Lot 582, a filly from a Stravinsky (Nureyev) half-sister to dual Listed winner Vegas Showgirl (Al Akbar). Plenty of residual value here as Vegas Showgirl is, of course, the dam of wondermare Winx (Street Cry). This filly’s blood is virtually identical to Winx, the filly being by a son of Winx’s sire Street Cry (Machiavellian).
From Westbury Stud themselves is Lot 595, a colt from a Sydney-winning More Than Ready (Southern Halo) half-sister to champion Australian two-year-old and Golden Slipper Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Catbird (Danehill), and his Group 2-winning brother Danbird (Danehill). The colt’s granddam, Fitting (Marscay), was a Listed two-year-old winner and also Group 1-placed.
Again from Westbury Stud is Lot 598, their Telperion half-brother to the talented Perth filly Moreish (More Than Ready), winner of the Western Australian Oaks (Gr 3, 2400m) and second in the Western Australian Derby (Gr 2, 2400m). Classic blood here as the colt’s granddam won two Group 2s at Flemington and ran second in the VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m).
Lot 615, from Kiltannon Stables, is their Sacred Falls (O’Reilly) half-brother to Listed winner and three times Listed-placed Showemup (Showcasing) as well as to Pierina (Savabeel), a winner and twice fourth in Group 2 company since the catalogue was published. A current winning family here.
Little Avondale Stud’s exciting first season sire Time Test (Dubawi) is represented by a very good-looking colt in Lot 626. He is out of a winning half-sister to dual Listed winner and Victoria Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) second Gorky Park (Montjeu) and to the dam of NZB Filly of the Year and New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock).
Another good family is represented by Lot 637 from Westbury Stud, their Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit) filly. Her dam is a winning High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells) daughter of Listed winner Fifty Fifty (Justice Prevails), herself a half-sister to Group winners The Mighty Finn (McGinty) and Vickezzchardonnay (Don Eduardo).
Charm Spirit is also the sire of Lot 639, a filly from Beaufort Downs. Her dam is a winning Savabeel half-sister to Singing Star (Danasinga), winner of the Waikato Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) and dam of Group 3 winner and New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) second Miss Selby (O’Reilly).
Leanach Lodge has an attractively-bred colt by Tivaci (High Chaparral) in Lot 640. His dam is a winning Savabeel sister to champion New Zealand three-year-old and dual Group 1 winner Savvy Coup (Savabeel). Outstanding racemare Probabeel, who is also by Savabeel, is a very close relative.
Lot 643 is by Rich Hill Stud’s new boy Satono Aladdin (Deep Impact). The colt is out of a Zabeel (Sir Tristram) half-sister to twice Horse of the Year, champion sprinter-miler and ten-time Group 1 winner (King) Mufhasa (Pentire) and to the dam of triple Group 1 winner (The) Bostonian (Jimmy Choux).
With Belardo (Lope De Vega) making a strong start to his stud career in both hemispheres, Lot 655, a filly from Haunui Farm, should be popular, especially being the half-sister to recent Stewards Handicap (Gr 3, 1200m) winner Carnival (Showcasing) and from the same family as New Zealand Oaks heroine Jennifer Eccles (Rip Van Winkle).
Highden Park’s Satono Aladdin colt, Lot 706, is the half-brother to Group 3-placed Molto Veloce (Pins). A great Waikato Stud family is represented here, with the colt’s granddam being a blood-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer) and closely related to dual Group 1 winners Vision And Power (Carnegie) and Glamour Puss (Tale Of The Cat).