New Zealand Bloodstock’s 91st National Yearling Sales Series is just around the corner and anticipation is building for this annual event which presents the cream of the yearling crop pared with the finest kiwi hospitality.
Last season’s emphatic success from graduates of Karaka was a timely reminder of the kiwi talent that the 1347 yearlings catalogued for Karaka 2017 represent the next generation of.
Last season 20 Group 1 races were won by 15 individual Group 1 winning graduates of NZB’s National Yearling Sales Series. These Karaka alumni captured some of the most coveted races in Australasia – the Melbourne Cup, Emirates Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Victorian Derby, Australian Derby and Australian Oaks.
The National Yearling Sales Series has been the source of 82 Group 1 wins in the past four seasons - the most of any auction house in Australasia.
The action kicks off with the 10th anniversary celebrations of the $1 million Karaka Million - the feature race of the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting, New Zealand’s richest raceday, at Ellerslie Racecourse. Held on the eve of the Premier Sale, this twilight racing event of the year is an opportunity for NZB to welcome bloodstock buyers, owners and enthusiasts from around the world to Karaka 2017’s thoroughbred yearling showcase.
The first yearling will go through the Karaka sale ring at 10am on Monday 30 January, launching an action-packed six days of selling with the Premier, Select and Festival Sales comprising the Karaka 2017 line-up.
The Premier Sale presents the very best the New Zealand industry has to offer. The centrepiece of the week, it features some of the world’s finest pedigrees and the progeny of a host of global powerhouse sires. In 2016 the Premier Sale featured the first yearling by the legendary Frankel to be sold at auction in the Southern Hemisphere, with the colt topping the Sale at $1.3 million. There are 465 yearlings entered for the Karaka 2017 Premier Sale, including another son of Frankel. The Sale will be conducted on Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 January.
The Select Sale has become an elite session in its own right, the source of this season’s Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Ugo Foscolo (NZ) (Zacinto) along with two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor). It produced a total of five Group 1 winners last season, including Victoria Derby winner Tarzino (NZ) (Tavistock) and New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year and Australian Oaks heroine Sofia Rosa (NZ) (Makfi). This year’s Select Sale has 640 yearlings catalogued and will run from Wednesday 1 to Friday 3 February.
The Festival Sale has produced the likes of Group 1 winners Gaultier (NZ) (Rios) and Iamishwara (NZ) (Keeninsky) in recent seasons, with Gaultier going on to perform successfully in Hong Kong under the name Simply Invincible. There are 240 yearlings catalogued for this year’s Festival Sale, which will be held on Sunday 5 February.
The stage has been set for Karaka 2017 with this next generation of thoroughbreds poised to step out in January.
