New Zealand, 8 February 2010

Successful National Yearling Sale draws to a close

Selling at New Zealand Bloodstock's 84th National Yearling Sales concluded at Karaka on Monday, with the final day of the two-day Festival session rounding off an extremely successful Sales Series.

Three times the Festival Sale's previous record price was surpassed, with the new record set by Lot 1397 bought for $110,000 by New Zealand Bloodstock as agent for Cambridge clients. The Elusive City colt offered by Haunui Farm is from the Sir Tristram mare Wishing Belle. Prior to this week, the previous Festival record was $80,000 in 2008.

A few lots later another lot came close, when the King's Chapel colt at Lot 1418 was knocked down for $100,000 to Auckland bloodstock agent, Robt Dawe. Offered by Mark & Sarah Devcich's Henley Park in Cambridge, the colt was from the winning Volksraad mare, Alleyrun.

The third six-figure yearling came at Lot 1520, when another Elusive City colt was knocked down for $100,000, this time to Queensland-based International Bloodstock Consultants. With just three yearlings in the Sale, this gave Kirkwall Thoroughbreds the honour of leading vendor by average on $39,667.

Following the trend of the entire week, the final Festival Sale figures sailed past last year's results, with the session turnover of $4,915,600 up 10% with six fewer lots in the Sale.

The session average was up 25% on last year's $11,997, with the session median matching last year's $10,000. With the final few hours showing the first signs of a lull in the market, the clearance rate settled at 71% for the two days' trade.

The predominantly local buying bench was headed by the O'Sullivans' Wexford Stables, with trainer Andrew Scott prominent throughout the past two days to end up with ten Festival yearlings for $322,500. Wexford's top price of the session was $60,000 paid for the Strada colt at Lot 1299. This brings Wexford's tally of purchases to 11 for the week.

Also active was Hong Kong based Justin Bahen, with six Festival yearlings adding to his total for the week of 15 bought for $986,500.

With two six-figure yearlings it was no surprise to see Haunui Stud sire, Elusive City, top the tables with 12 of 18 entries sold for an average of $43,583. He was followed by Paxton Park's Shinko King with $35,786.

Elusive City's results also contributed to Haunui Farm taking top honours as the leading Festival Sale vendor by aggregate, selling 16 for $496,000.

Right behind them was Hallmark Stud with a 100% clearance rate, selling their seven entries for $195,000.

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