Oaks link boosts NZB National Online Yearling Sale
Saturday’s Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) has added timely interest to the NZB National Online Yearling Sale, which concludes next week.
The catalogue features a three-quarter sister to leading Oaks contender Ohope Wins (Ocean Park), while rival Soverato (Vadamos) is among a growing list of graduates to have emerged from the online sale.
Soverato was sourced for $10,000 from the 2024 edition before being on-sold and has since built a solid record, including a placing in the Adrian Knox Stakes (Gr 3, 2000m).
The sale’s honour roll is headed by Well Written (Written Tycoon), a $80,000 purchase who has gone on to earn more than $2.6 million with an unbeaten record, highlighted by wins in the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) and a number of other major features.
Other graduates include De Armas (Ardrossan) and Hitabell (Embellish), both of whom have achieved black-type success from modest purchase prices.
A highlight of this year’s catalogue is Lot 87, offered by Haunui Farm, who is closely related to Ohope Wins and hails from a deep black-type family.
The filly is by the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner’s sire Ocean Park (Thorn Park) and is out of a half-sister to Jimmy Choux (Thorn Park), a half-sister to Ohope Wins’ dam Choux Mania (Redoute’s Choice). This filly’s dam, Laced Up (Keeninsky), is also a half-sister to Group 1 winner Miss Wilson (Stratum).
Jimmy Choux won five Group 1 races including the New Zealand Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and Rosehill Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m), was runner-up in the Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) and was New Zealand’s Horse of the Year in 2010-11.
Laced Up is herself the dam of four winners from five foals to race, headed by Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) winner Fancify (Niagara).
Haunui Farm managing director Mark Chitty said the filly had been given time to mature ahead of the sale.
“She’s a very nice-moving filly from a strong family and should appeal to buyers,” Chitty said.
The draft also includes progeny by a range of established and emerging sires, with the online format continuing to provide opportunities for later-maturing horses to be presented to the market.
A significant benefit of the digital catalogue is that all lots offered in the National Online Yearling Sale are eligible to be nominated for the lucrative Karaka Millions Series. Just nine months after they make their virtual sale-ring debut, graduates of the online sale can compete for a share in the 2027 $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (RL, 1200m), followed by the 2028 $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (RL, 1600m), as well as the NZB Mega Maiden Bonus Series.
As a one-off, New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (NZTBA) have offered to extend the early bird offer for entries to the Entain-NZB Insurance Pearl Series for all fillies offered in the upcoming National Online Yearling Sale.
Bidding will run for a five-day period, commencing on Friday, April 10 with the first lot closing on Tuesday, April 14 at 6pm (NZT). Buyers must register on Gavelhouse Plus in advance in order to gain bidding approval.
The 104-lot catalogue is now live on Gavelhouse Plus and available to view here.