Karaka 2015 Concludes with Strong Festival Sale

A good day's trade at the one-day Karaka Festival Sale  has concluded New Zealand Bloodstock's 89th National Yearling Sale Series, posting figures to match last year's successful Sale.

The Festival Sale concluded six days of selling at the National Yearling Sales Series today at Karaka. With 1364 lots catalogued this year (8 fewer than last year), 898 have sold for $67,388,650, reflecting an increase in the overall sale average of $75,043 (up 3%), with the median holding strong at $45,000, the same as last year. The clearance rate for the week is currently 75%.

Amongst the week's highlights has been the growth in the Australian spend, up 6% to $24,450,500 on 201 horses, with the demand from both Hong Kong and Singapore holding strong at $10,048,500 and $2,379,000 respectively.

The leading buyer for the Sales Series was David Ellis's Te Akau Racing, purchasing 26 horses for $3,805,000, putting him at the top of the buyers list for a record tenth year. The leading vendor at both the Premier and Select Sale and overall, was Waikato Stud with a huge draft; of which 63 horses sold for $8,482,500. The leading vendor by average was Prima Park who sold three horses for $655,000 at an average of $218,333.

Today's figures were comparable to last year's bumper Sale that saw the average increase by 17% and median increase by 25%. Today's average improved slightly on last year, finishing at $14,670, while the median remained at last year's $10,000. The aggregate for the day was $2,816,650 with 192 horses sold at a clearance rate of 71%.

Today's top price came at Lot 1176 with Hong Kong bloodstock agent Paul Chow, acting under his Tartan Meadow banner, purchasing the colt by Iffraaj for $85,000 from Haunui Farm.

The colt is by New Zealand's leading three-year-old sire this season in Iffraaj, and is out of an O'Reilly mare Skimmio, a half-sister to the stakes performed Florinda (Lord Ballina).

"He was a little bit over my authorised budget but he's one of the four horses that were on my list and it's the last day so there are no more to choose from tomorrow," commented Chow.

"This year has been good because I have had new clients on board. We have bought 11 horses so far during the sales. They're not necessarily going back to Hong Kong, we will wait and see how they develop.

"Karaka is always where I start my year when I'm buying for my clients as we have bought a number of quality horses here."

Chow finished the day as the leading buyer, purchasing three horses for $145,000, with his other purchases coming at Lot 1237 and Lot 1352.

There were five horses to fetch $60,000 or more at today's Sale, compared with only one horse last year.

The day's leading vendor - Haunui Farm – was represented prominently by its resident stallions providing 6 of the top 10 lots of the Sale. Iffraaj finished as the leading sire (with three or more yearlings sold), selling three horses at an average of $56,833. He finished ahead of his barn mate Showcasing who sold 10 horses at an average of $35,775.

Showcasing, the sire of Karaka Million winner Hardline, provided the day's second highest price of $70,000 at Lot 1190, purchased by Nigel Tiley from Hallmark Stud, the sellers of Hardline.

Showcasing also had the fourth highest price at the Sale with Lot 1183 purchased for $60,000 by Shane Crawford of Regal Farm.

The success of their sires led to Haunui Farm being the leading vendor by both aggregate and average at the Festival Sale, selling nine horses for $382,000 at an average of $42,444.

The leading first season sire today was Westbury Stud's Redwood (High Chaparral) with seven horses sold at an average of $22,571. The leading first season sire for the combined Sale was So You Think (High Chaparral) with five horses sold at an average of $190,000.

NZB's Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela said the company is pleased with the results of the week.

"It has been a very solid week of selling, with a strong buying bench demonstrating good demand for the horses on offer," commented Vela. "We'd hoped to post figures in line with last year's successful sale and spirited competition right throughout the week has ensured we have achieved that which is very pleasing."

"A big thank you has to go out to everyone involved this week, internationals and locals. It is a credit to our vendors to have a week as successful as this one was, and we wish buyers all the best with their Karaka purchases."

2015 Festival Yearling Sale Statistics

Top Lots