By Daithi Harvey
The catalogues have been released online for the NZB National Yearling Sales Series and will be printed and distributed early December. Catalogues can be viewed here where prospective buyers can also familiarize themselves with the new sales format. The sale will be preceded by the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting, New Zealand's richest race meeting on the calendar which takes place Jan. 27 leading into the Sales Series which will commence the next day (Sunday) and run through until the following Sunday (Feb. 4).
These changes to the sale format will enable buyers to inspect more horses for longer and experience New Zealand's racing at its best. The opening session Jan. 28 will kick off with 100 yearlings to be offered, beginning at 5 p.m. The National Yearling Sales Series offers an extensive selection of sires, both proven and young stallions, from across the world. There are 133 sires represented across the three sessions including 16 first season sires. Amongst these will be the progeny of 29 Group 1-winning dams and siblings to 42 Group 1 winners. At Karaka 2018, all yearlings are eligible for the Karaka Million Series which now includes two NZ$1M races. The sale's graduates will be racing for the NZ$1M Karaka Million 2YO in 2019, the NZ$1M Karaka Million 3YO Classic in 2020, and the NZ$100,000 Karaka Cup for the remainder of their career.
Previous graduates of the sale continue to showcase the quality of yearlings on offer with horses like Aloisia (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}), Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), Embellish (NZ) (Savabeel {Aus}) and Mighty Boss (Aus) (Not A Single Doubt {Aus}) all tasting Group 1 or Classic success this year.
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