New Zealand Bloodstock's National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Bloodstock Sale staged its third and final session Wednesday, and returned figures well up on last year's edition. With 37 more horses sold, the broodmare session posted an aggregate of NZ$2,888,700, up 267% from last year. The average and median similarly soared, at NZ$17,507 (up 185%) and NZ$4,500 (up 125%), respectively. The buyback rate dropped to 9.3% from 22.9%.
Cumulatively, 446 horses were sold over the three days for NZ$8,915,200, compared to 426 sold for NZ$4,085,100 last year. The buyback rate was 8.9%, down from 19.9%. The average was up 108% to NZ$19,989, and the median climbed 188% to NZ$8,000. NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook said, “This is one of the strongest sales I've ever been involved with, and in addition to our international buying bench, it was brilliant to see our local breeders reinvesting in some quality mares. I look forward to this buoyancy continuing.”
The top price of Wednesday's broodmare session–and of the sale–was the NZ$405,000 paid by Rosemont Stud for Galatika (NZ) (Thorn Park {Aus}) (lot 464), a half-sister to Volkstok'n'barrell (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) carrying to her triple Group 1-winning brother's sire, who was responsible for three of the top four priced weanlings at this sale. The 5-year-old three-time winner is carrying her first foal and was consigned by George and Maryanne Simon's Mana Park on behalf of Hong Kong-based owner Dominic Li.
“It was Dominic's idea to market her at this sale,” said George Simon. “With the price she fetched it's very satisfying–we're all thrilled with the result.”
Rosemont has bought into another Group 1-winning son of Tavistock in Tarzino (NZ), and that operation's Anthony Mithen was busy buying future mates for him Wednesday, also snapping up Volksbelle (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) (lot 411) in foal to Tavistock for NZ$100,000.
“With all things combined I knew Galaktika would be very popular here in this very buoyant market, but she was the mare I really wanted to take home one way or another,” said Mithen. “We have a couple locked away to Tavistock and that is the obvious mating again this year, but in time she has been bought to go to Tarzino, who races in our colours.”
He added, “We bought Volksbelle earlier in the sale and she will go to him too. Long term we'll work out what we do with them, but chances are both mares will stay in New Zealand for at least the next 12 months.”
Another of the five mares to breach six figures was also in foal to Tavistock: Push The Boat Out (Aus) (Henrythenavigator) (lot 346), a 4-year-old half-sister to New Zealand One Thousand Guineas winner Rollout The Carpet (NZ) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), was bought by Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock for NZ$110,000 carrying her first foal.
The 3-year-old stakes winner Jacquetta (NZ) (Keeper {Aus}) (lot 484) is bound for Cambridge's Trelawney Stud after selling for NZ$120,000 from the consignment of trainer Graeme Rogerson.
The other mare to make six figures was Demure (Aus) (Commands {Aus}) (lot 443), a half-sister to Group 3 winner Cameo (Aus) (Shamardal) who was sold in-foal to Rubick (Aus) to dissolve a partnership.
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