Stellar sales momentum continues south
Michael Guerin
The yearling sales momentum that simply couldn’t continue did just that in Christchurch yesterday and cemented a stellar first week in the harness industry for New Zealand Bloodstock.
A boomer first sales day for the newly-formed New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred at Karaka on Monday saw the boutique sale average $46,750.
But while the much larger catalogue for the Christchurch sale couldn’t live up to that, it nearly did.
After the trotting sale on Tuesday saw a huge increase in average the pacers exploded yesterday, with 10 lots making $100,000 or more, pushing the average for the near 155 pacing yearlings sold to $41,429 up over 50 per cent on last year’s $26,233.
For any sale in the world that is an incredible increase.
There was extremely strong demand for good colts and the middle market was far more consistent than in recent years, while the pinhookers looking to return for the Ready to Run sale in October ensured bargains were harder to come by.
NZBS managing director Andrew Seabrook was left beaming by how the sale all but matched Karaka when you take into account the extra lots and the fact, without putting too fine a point on it, the Canterbury sales facility looks like a giant garage.
“We couldn’t be happier,” says Seabrook.
“Karaka on Monday was a huge result and we realistically didn’t think we could have anything like that sort of sale here.
“But for the average to be up by over 50 per cent is unprecedented and the feel around the ground was very buoyant, with the clearance rate of 83 being outstanding.
“But that average has blown away even our most optimistic expectations.
“We think it has been a great week for the harness industry and the aggregate will be up over $1.6 million on last year, which is a lot of money going back into breeders’ pockets.”
That aggregate for the three days of sales reached $12,310,000, compared with last season’s $10,637,500.
The equal top lots were $170,000 for a Bettors Delight colt from former open class mare Pemberton Shard, purchased by Emilio Rosati from Sydney and another Bettors Delight colt closely related to Beaudiene Boaz, purchased by Victoria’s Jean Feiss.
Feiss also bought another Bettors Delight colt for $100,000, with most of her purchases to end up at the All Stars stable.
Not far behind the top lots was the $155,000 paid by Cran Dalgety for another Bettors Delight colt, this one from former star filly Champagne Princess.
Auckland’s Lincoln Farms were busy again after spending up big at Karaka, paying $140,000 for a Mach Three colt, $130,000 for an Art Major filly and $110,000 for a colt by Captain Treacherous as well as dipping their toe in the middle market.
Pukekohe’s Brent Mangos outlaid $90,000, $70,000 and $40,000 for three lots while there was also serious northern purchases for Lynley Park, Stonewall Stud, Barry Purdon and Tony Herlihy, ensuring plenty of quality bloodstock will be coming north as stakes are set to rise at Alexandra Park.