The Karaka Yearling Sales were spread over three days this week

The three days of the Karaka Yearling Sales were a success. There was an average sales price of $164,819 with almost 80% of the lots cleared. In total, more than 75 million was spent across 588 lots in total.

A trip to the sales is always a great way to spend a day. Those with an eye for equine perfection may not have the pockets to buy one but the pedigree can be put in the black book to take on the horse racing bookmakers.

Waller and Mulcaster buy the top lot

A full-sister to the 2024 New Zealand Derby and Vinery Stud winner Orchestral was always going to attract a lot of attention at Karaka this week. By far and away the most expensive lot of the three days, she will head to Mulcaster Bloodstock and Chris Waller.

Whether NZ$2.4 million is going to prove to be a spot of value or a flop only time will tell. Her breeding, even if she does not make it to a high level on the track, is going to mean that a lot of interest will be forthcoming in any future offspring.

Proisir was the sire of choice

Proisir was the sire to produce three of the five most expensive lots through the ring. The most expensive of those we will discuss in more detail below. Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock went to NZ$850,000 to secure a filly at the third largest price of the sales.

She is out of Golden Hind who didn’t make it to the track to race but is a half-sister to the 2011-12 New Zealand Bloodstock filly of the year, Planet Rock.

Another Prosir to make good money was out of Strada Cavallo. That makes the yearling filly a half-sister to John Sargant’s Powers Of Opal who was last seen finishing runner-up in the VRC Oaks at Flemington in November. Sargent is also going to take charge of this filly.

Roger James has bought ‘perfection’

The second top lot was a Proisir as mentioned above, Roger James had to go to NZ$1.1 million to get the filly out of Donna Marie. It is a pedigree that James knows all about, describing the filly as perfection.

2023 Group 1 Bonecrusher and Vinery Stud winner Prowess has been one of the big stars of the stable in recent years, along with Orchestral. Prowess is by Proisir out of Donna Marie so it shouldn’t be a surprise that James has purchased the full sister. Will she be another Group 1 winner in the making?

Hong Kong very active at the Karaka Sales

Five of the top 16 lots that went through the ring were bought by Hong Kong. Four of those went to the Hong Kong Jockey Club itself. The other one was bought by Tartan Meadow Bloodstock.

The 25% of the top 16 lots that went to the Hong Kong Jockey Club were topped at NZ$625,000 for a Savabeel colt. Further colts by Sword Of State, Satono Aladdin and another Savabeel rounded out their purchases at the top end.

Paul Chow is the man behind Tartan Meadow. Wootton Bassett was another sire who was popular at the sales and Chow recognised that to snap up a colt out of Aspen Colorado. She was placed in the New Zealand Oaks with Chow going to NZ$600,000 to secure the colt.

It’s going to be a while before we see any of these pedigrees on the betting sites and carrying our money. Despite that, it is always fun to try and pick out some of those who could make a big impression on the track.