Breeding winds down at studs
are exclusively by their leading trio O’Reilly, Pins and Savabeel, while additional to that mix in the Select offering are the progeny of former shuttle Paco Boy and proven Group One sire No Excuse Needed.
Rich Hill Stud has five yearlings in Premier, two by Pentire, one by Shocking and another two by the great Zabeel, while their Select offering numbers 35, including the progeny of former shuttle Sir Percy and proven resident stallion Any Suggestion.
Mapperley Stud’s reinvigoration under the management of Simms Davison is further reflected in a sizeable draft headed by 14 Premier lots and another 31 in the next tier.
A star offering will be the halfsister by Derby winner Nom du Jeu to the outstanding colt Dundeel.
Blandford Lodge doesn’t stand a stallion but that hasn’t ruled it out of the high-end action at Karaka, with a draft of 18 at Premier and five for Select. Leading sires represented in the offering include Fastnet Rock, High Chaparral, O’Reilly and Thorn Park.
The Blandford product has continued to make its presence felt on the racing scene, with just the past week or so producing two big winners in Jackofall and Lucia Valentina.
The latter became Savabeel’s 28th individual stakes winner when she won the Gr.1 Wellington Stakes at Otaki on Friday.
The previous weekend Jackofall laid claim to early season twoyear-old honours with victory in the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes at Pukekohe.
The Mastercraftsman colt’s yearling sister is bound to draw further attention to the Blandford Lodge draft for Karaka.