Internationals Savour Quality Bloodlines on Day Two Karaka Book 1

International presence was felt in the sale ring on Day Two of Karaka 2023, with heated competition for the top lots and leading Australian stables featuring prominently.

The international buying bench was responsible for purchasing eight of the top 10 lots on the second day of Book 1.

Victorian agent Cameron Cooke purchased the sale-topping lot on Day Two for $750,000. Lot 294 is a colt by first season sire Too Darn Hot, out of Iffraaj mare Lady Sayyida (NZ).

“We had to work pretty hard for him in the ring but we’re delighted to have him,” said Cooke.

“The colt will be heading to Melbourne to be trained by Ciaron Maher. Hopefully he can go through their system and turn out to be another Grunt or Ocean Park, who are both in the family.

“He was obviously very popular and was a standout. I had my client on the phone and thought we were dead and buried but he’s a fighter and kept bidding so that was great and I’m glad he did,” he said.

The lot hails from one of Trelawney’s great families, himself a half-brother to current Group Two star Excelida (Exceed and Excel) and a close relative to standout racehorses-turned-sires Ocean Park (NZ) and Grunt (NZ).

Studmaster Brent Taylor was delighted by the sale of his Too Darn Hot colt.

“It’s fantastic for the guys back at the farm, John Struthers bred him with Cherry and I.”

“It’s a family we have had a lot to do with over many years and represents the high quality racehorses we have seen come off the farm in the past.

“We can only hope he can stamp his part on the pedigree page because he is an absolute beauty,” Taylor said.

The second highlight of the day came when New South Wales-based Tim Stakemire secured Lot 344 for $500,000. The Pierro filly out of Broodmare of the Year Meleka Belle (NZ) (Iffraaj) is a half-sister to 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands).

Stakemire was drawn to the filly, who was offered in Haunui Farm’s Book 1 draft for owner and breeder Marie Leicester.

“She had a beautiful pedigree page that was stamped with quality.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing her race in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum,” he said.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club made their first purchases on Day Two, securing two colts by Per Incanto, the most prolific source of individual winners in Hong Kong for the past two seasons.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s southern hemisphere buying agent Craig Rounsefell and International Sales Manager Danny Rolston went to $360,000 to secure Lot 329 a colt out of Makkura (NZ) from the Little Avondale Stud draft.

Rounsefell later went to $400,000 for a colt (Lot 423) out of Petite en Jeu (NZ) from the draft of Prima Park.

“Per Incanto is high on the hit list of sires we’re looking to target,” Rounsefell said.

“We’re always looking in this Sale, in particular, where there’s been some really nice ones. The two we’ve purchased we’re absolutely delighted with. They are the first two horses we’ve bid on during the Sale and we’re fortunate to get them.”

Rounsefell said the colts had the attributes required to succeed in Hong Kong.

“Their temperaments are good. This guy [Lot 423] had a beautiful temperament. Even out the back in the pre-parade, he handled it superbly. They’re very sound horses too and those two attributes take them a long way.”

After another solid day of trading, NZB Bloodstock Executive Kane Jones commented on the results at the end of the second session.

“Horses were well exceeding reserves in the latter half of today, which means there are a number of buyers on these yearlings, with under bidders who will be competitive heading into Day Three.”

“I expect the momentum to continue building as buyers will need to be strong heading into the final session of Book 1,” Jones said.

To enquire about Passed Lots contact Regan Donnison on +64 21 512 466 or email regan.donnison@nzb.co.nz or Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or email kane.jones@nzb.co.nz.

Selling continues on Day Three of Book 1 tomorrow, where the final 203 lots will go through the ring from 11AM (NZT) at Karaka.

Catch the highlights and Lot-by-Lot footage from Day Two online.

View the full of Book 1 Day Two results here.

Book 1 Day Two Statistics

Book 1 Day Two Top Lots