Exciting Young Sires in the NZB Ready to Run Spotlight

Media Release - Tuesday Oct 10

Stallion rosters on both sides of the Tasman have had an injection of exciting young talent in recent seasons, and the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this November is a great opportunity for buyers to get their hands on the progeny of these talented up-and-comers while their stocks are on the rise.

EMERGING SIRES

Click here to see the full story with all young sires - Aus and NZ based.

US Navy Flag

A brilliant Group One winner of the Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) and Middle Park Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old and the July Cup (1200m) against older horses as a three-year-old, U S Navy Flag was New Zealand’s leading first-season sire in 2022-23. He stands at The Oaks Stud for a service fee of $15,000.

Advertisement

U S Navy Flag made a superb start at stud last season with seven winners from his first crop of New Zealand two-year-olds with stakes performances by the likes of Chantilly Lace (NZ), To Catch A Thief, Aprilia (NZ), Penvose Lad (NZ) and most recently Warning Signal (NZ).

Yearlings by U S Navy Flag have sold for up to $340,000 at Karaka. He is the sire of four two-year-olds in the Ready to Run Sale catalogue, including:

Lot 212, a half-brother to the Group Three Tesio Stakes (1600m) winner Lubiton (Snitzel).
Lot 317, whose dam is an unraced half-sister to the Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m) winner Communique (NZ) (Redwood).

Advertisment

More Reading...

Breeding To Win - G1 CF Orr Stakes

The last Autumn running of the CF Orr Stakes in 2025 closed a long chapter when Another Wil narrowly denied Mr Brightside consecutive victories and the historic first running of the “new” race in November last year had a worthy winner in race favourite Jimmysstar, who is back to defend his title.

Magic Millions 2027 – The Sire Break Up

The Magic Millions Yearling Sale (Book 1 &2) in January features 1280 entries (up slightly on 1221 last year) and the break up of stallions is always interesting as it reflects the thinking of the sales company back at the start of spring when inspections were undertaken and entries being judged and finalized.

Remembering Sunline – The Queen of the Cox Plate Before Winx

From our vantage point in 2026, we can look back at modern Cox Plate history and marvel at how quickly the years are passing.

Mike McMahon and Jamie Hill Appointed NZB’s American Representatives

NZB are thrilled to announce the appointment of Mike McMahon and Jamie Hill as American-based Sale Representatives.

ATO Takes Harder Line on Losses

For such a contentious topic—particularly for participants in the thoroughbred industry—the wait for updated ATO guidance on whether an activity is a “business” or a “hobby” has certainly been a long one.

Pedigree Potential –NZB Ready to Run – Nicks that Click

A quality packed catalogue for the 2026 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ll go looking each week for some horses of interest that jump out on pedigree for various reasons.

Unraced Brother to G2 Winner Hope in Your Heart Tops MM Digital

Unraced three-year-old Dundeel gelding Putcee (Lot 4) topped the Magic Millions Digital (6-11 Nov) Sale which concluded this afternoon, selling for $30,000 to Liam Ruddy after 38 bids.

2027 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable Sale Mail – Find Out More

The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1881 entries for the 2027 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?

Expensive Ready to Run Graduate Primed for G1 NZ 2000 Guineas

There is plenty of hype surrounding promising gelding Thunder In Motion ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, and trainer Mark Forbes is hoping he can deliver in the southern Classic.

Remembering Northerly – The Greatest Caulfield Cup Winner This Century

It's Caulfield Cup week, and what better moment to revisit the life and times of one of the greatest - if not the greatest - Caulfield Cup winner of the modern era.