A quality packed catalogue for the 2026 NZB Ready to Run Sale is now online and in the lead up to the sale we’ve gone looking each week for horses of interest that jump out on pedigree and superstar filly Proxima Dea has us hard on the trail of Tarzino.
Staying classics for three year-olds in Australia offer impressive prizemoney and a real opportunity for the savvy investor given the lack of horses in our region genuinely bred to stay, but one sire consistently delivers the goods in this sphere of competition.
By outstanding NZ sire Tavistock, Tarzino won the 2015 Group I VRC Victoria Derby and the Group I ATC Rosehill Guineas earning himself a place on the Westbury Stud roster and his influence as a quality sire of stayers was highlighted on Oaks Day at Flemington.
His freakishly good daughter Proxima Dea kept her record at a perfect six for six when scoring a dominant in in the $1million Group I VRC Oaks (2500m) following on from her equally impressive win in the $2million Group I ATC Spring Champion Stakes (2000m).
The David Payne trained filly has banked $2.2million from her efforts demonstrating just how much money is there to be won for a quality young stayer.
Tarzino has a strong hand at the NZB Ready to Run Sale with nine entries after scratchings and in a sale dominated by colts and geldings he does have two fillies to consider.
Lot 276 Filly Tarzino x Happy Street, by Street Cry (IRE) – Westbury Stud
Fourth foal of a daughter of champion sire Street Cry and traces directly back on tail female line to AJC Oaks winner Mahaya.
Lot 398 Filly Tarzino x Never Doubted You, by Reliable Man (GB) – Westbury Stud
Fourth foal of a daughter of G1 winning and G1 producing sire Reliable Man and has a 3 x 3 double cross of Zabeel.
Other Tarzino youngsters to catch the eye include:
Lot 80 Colt Tarzino x The White Queen, by Cape Blanco (IRE) – Apex Bloodstock
Traces back to third dam G1 Australasian Oaks winner Grand Echezeaux and has fascinating pedigree with duplications of Montjeu and Zabeel as well as a 4 x 4 x 4 of Sadler’s Wells.
Lot 148 Gelding Tarzino x Anthology, by Encosta de Lago – Westbury Stud
From a daughter of G1 winning sprinter Imananabaa and has 4 x 4 double cross of the former great Kiwi based sire Star Way (GB).
Lot 160 Colt Tarzino x Banquero, by Reliable Man (GB) – Westbury Stud
Three-quarter brother-in-blood to Group I SA Derby winner Jungle Magnate.
Hong Kong Derby victor Invincible Ibis (Hellbent), plus Group I stars Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock), Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), Griongotts (NZ) (Per Incanto),Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse), Golden Sixty (Medaglia d’Oro), Antino (NZ) (Redwood), Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth), War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) and Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree) headline a remarkable list of recent graduates from this Sale.
Also flying the flag for this sale is progressive Super Seth gelding Sulek, who won the $500,000 VRC Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final at Flemington on Oaks Day.
A $420,000 purchase for Sutton Racing / Byron Rogers from the KB Thoroughbreds draft in 2024, Sulek has already recouped his purchase price and looks set for his best ever campaign.
The 2026 edition of the Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from 11am (NZT) on 18 & 19 November and Breeze Up video is now all uploaded for viewing.
