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Foote purchases Summer Sale topper

Respected international bloodstock agent John Foote has been attending the National Yearling Sale in New Zealand for over 50 years, and he returned to Karaka for the historic 100th National Yearling Sale this week.The Queensland-based agent was active across all three Books at Karaka, purchasing 14 lots in total.His final purchase was a colt by Armory catalogued as Lot 958 out of the Satono Aladdin mare Hanako, beautifully prepared by Putaruru vendor Stew McGregor....

O’Sullivan-Scott spec Noverre filly

Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have been putting in the hard yards over the past few weeks as they look to amass their next stable stars and they struck early at the Summer Sale session of the New Zealand National Yearling Sales at Karaka on Thursday.Bidding remotely through New Zealand Bloodstock’s Andrew Seabrook, O’Sullivan went to $80,000 to buy a striking filly by Noverre out of the four-win El Roca mare Royal Roc as Lot 865.“She is just athletic and a really nice filly....

Stellar Summer Sale Closes out Karaka 2026

The final session of NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale took place at Karaka on Thursday, with a strong inaugural Karaka Summer Sale.112 yearlings sold for a total aggregate of more than $3.4 million at an average of $30,612. Six lots sold for $100,000 or more which added to a solid clearance rate of 81%.NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook was elated for all those involved in the historic week.“To sum it up, this week we’ve turned over $9.6 million more than last year, with 79 less ...

Finnegan hopes lightning strikes twice

Samantha and Francis Finnegan followed a successful pattern when going to $125,000 to purchase a sharp filly by Written By at the Summer Sale at Karaka on Thursday.Awapuni conditioner Samantha Finnegan picked up her first winner as a trainer when Written By filly Bona Sforza swept home on debut to take out the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton and she also finished fourth in the Gr.1 1000 Guineas  (1600m) behind star filly Well Written.Bona Sforza was a $150,000 Karaka yearling pur...

Thompson adds Karaka colts to growing stable

Flemington trainer Glen Thompson is keen to build up his stable numbers and was pleased to come away with a pair of colts by Sword of State at Tuesday’s Book 2 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales.Thompson, who trained in partnership with Mike Moroney until the legendary horseman's death in February last year, lost several of his higher-rated horses, with Ballymore Stables absorbed by Lindsay Park.But Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) winner Benagil has been a headline ac...

Lindsays savour Cambridge Stud’s Book 1 triumph

Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay decided to support the milestone 100th edition of New Zealand’s National Yearling Sale with 100 percent of Cambridge Stud’s yearlings that were for sale this season, and that commitment was richly rewarded with a Book 1 triumph that they and their team will never forget.Across two outstanding days of selling at Karaka on Sunday and Monday, Cambridge Stud sold 50 of the 54 yearlings they offered. They earned an aggregate of $10.64 million and an average price o...

Cambridge Stud stallions continue favourable impression

Cambridge Stud enjoyed another strong day of selling at the Book 2 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka.The famed nursery were leading vendors of the Book 1 Sale and also held that mantle on Tuesday, clearing all but one of their 16-strong draft in Book 2Progeny of Cambridge Stud’s emerging sire Sword Of State were again in vogue, while barn-mate Embellish provided the day’s top lot, with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young signing for a filly out of Queen Of ...

Millie makes his mark at Karaka

Bloodstock agent Kevin ‘Millie’ Walls was a force to be reckoned with on the buying bench of Book 1 of Karaka 2026, spending more than $3.6 million across Sunday and Monday.Walls secured one of the highest-priced lots on Sunday’s opening day of the sale with a $675,000 colt by Super Seth, and he followed that up on Monday with an $850,000 colt by Alabama Express from the draft of Elsdon Park.The colt went through the ring as Lot 383 and is the first foal out of the winning Tivaci mare Diva...

Mulcaster lands another big blow at Karaka

Bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster secured the $850,000 highest-priced lot on Sunday’s opening day of Karaka 2026, and he followed it up on Monday with something even bigger.Mulcaster Bloodstock and Chris Waller Racing went to $950,000 to secure Lot 471 – the highest-priced yearling ever sold by Landsdowne Park.The colt is by one of the world’s most in-demand stallions, Justify, out of the winning mare Heart To Heart. That daughter of Zoffany is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Prix du Jockey Club (2...

Sword Of State colt breaks million-dollar barrier

The dizzying rise of Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State continued at Karaka on Monday with a sale-topping $1.1 million yearling in his second crop.With his oldest progeny two-year-olds, the Group One-winning son of Snitzel has already been represented by Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) winner and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) placegetter Torture, highly impressive two-start, two-win colt Warwoven and smart last-start winner State The Obvious.Sword Of State’s burgeoning reputation led to an av...

Payne makes Karaka return with $450,000 Satono Aladdin colt

A striking colt by Satono Aladdin lured respected trainer David Payne back to Karaka on Sunday after more than a decade-long absence.The last time the South African-born Payne bought a horse at Karaka was in 2013, when he paid $150,000 for a High Chaparral colt – the latest in a long line of purchases dating back to the 1980s.“I haven’t been here for at least 10 years,” the now Sydney-based horseman said. “I used to come in the 1980s, including the old days when it was at Trentham. I�...

Ka Ying Rising posts record equalling win in Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup romp

Moments after Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) forged into Hong Kong racing history with a record-equalling win in the HK$13 million Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, David Hayes predicted the world’s best sprinter could potentially break Sha Tin’s 1400m course record next month.Reacting to Ka Ying Rising’s effort to post a 17th consecutive victory to match the winning streak of Silent Witness from 2002 to 2005, Hayes believes the superstar galloper can thr...

Karaka 2026 makes favourable impression on William Haggas

The milestone 100th edition of New Zealand’s National Yearling Sale has caught attention throughout the thoroughbred world, including one of the United Kingdom’s leading trainers.Among the crowd at Karaka on Sunday was the recognisable figure of William Haggas, the winner of more than a dozen Group One races in his homeland including the Derby (2400m) with Shaamit and Oaks (2400m) with Dancing Rain, along with other elite-level triumphs in France, Ireland, Germany, Italy and Australia.Haggas...

Millie wins one and loses one in hectic 10 minutes

Bloodstock agent Kevin ‘Millie’ Walls was a key player on back-to-back big lots at Karaka on Sunday, securing a colt for $675,000 before being underbidder on a $600,000 colt that was the very next yearling through the ring.Bidding on behalf of his clients and good friends Ron and Judi Wanless, Walls withstood the challenge of Andrew Williams and Jamie Richards to win a fierce bidding duel for Lot 93.The colt was offered by Hallmark Stud and is by rising star Waikato Stud sire Super Seth out ...

Snitzel-Amarelinha colt takes top honours on Karaka’s opening day

A late, great sire and a deceased Group One-winning dam combined with an $850,000 colt that topped the opening day of the Book 1 session of Karaka 2026 on Sunday.The colt was offered by Cambridge Stud and went through the ring as Lot 265 in the final hour of the day.He is by the four-time champion Australian sire Snitzel, who died in June, and was the second and final foal produced by Savabeel mare Amarelinha before her untimely death in a paddock accident.Herself a $300,000 purchase by David El...

Birchley scores third Karaka Millions title

Queensland trainer Liam Birchley continued his great association with the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) when recording his third win in the juvenile feature at Ellerslie on Saturday.He had previously won the $1 million race in 2010 with Sister Havana before doubling his tally in 2015 with Hardline, while he also finished runner-up in the race in 2009 with Sarge In Charge.He returned to New Zealand with two contenders for his year’s running, including Dream Roca (El Roca) and Vanzadee, a...

Nicholas gets just result on Knights Realm

Elen Nicholas has ridden the highs and lows of racing with Knights Realm (Castledale), and Saturday proved to be the pinnacle of their journey.The Cambridge-based apprentice rode the Clinton Isdale-trained gelding in his first two starts, with the pair involved in a race fall in their second outing which resulted in Nicholas being sidelined by injury for over a year.“It wasn’t his fault, he fell over a horse that had fallen in front of him. It was just the wrong place at the wrong time,” N...

Northern mare takes Timaru Stakes

Byerley Park conditioner Barbara Kennedy made her first foray to the South Island on Saturday a successful one as her handy mare Pour The Wine (Telperion) dominated her rivals in the closing stages of the Listed Speight’s Timaru Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.The Daniel Nakhle-bred and part-owned daughter of Telperion had been struggling to recapture her form of old that had seen her finish in the top three in 13 of her 31 starts, and it had been nearly two years since she had featured in th...

Tuxedo proves best dressed in Aotearoa Classic

The addition of blinkers and a super ride by Opie Bosson resulted in Tuxedo (Tivachi) taking out the first $1 million race on Karaka Millions night at Ellerslie, the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m).The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-prepared four-year-old has always shown massive promise and was a dual stakes winner during his three-year-old campaign before resuming with two meritorious performances in Group One company in the spring.Given a break after finishing sixth in the Gr.1...

Savabeel filly aces rivals in Oaks Prelude

A clever ride and some good old-fashioned kiwi grit resulted in Savabeel filly Acer (Savabeel) collecting her maiden victory in some style as she took out the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth.Consistent rain during the week and some heavy showers earlier in the day presented a very testing Heavy10 track surface, which had many struggling to cope with conditions a long way from the winning post.Wexford Stables pair Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott prepare Acer, wh...

Belle Cheval vindicates NZB Kiwi selection

NZB Kiwi slot holder The King’s Men had massive grins on their faces following Belle Cheval’s (Savabeel) victory in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.A day prior they made the announcement that they had secured the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained filly as their representative for the $4 million Champions Day feature in March, and their choice was quickly vindicated.The daughter of Savabeel jumped away well from her inside barrier and settled ...

Anemacore strikes in Sunshine Coast Cup

Letham Stud stallion Unusual Suspect was credited with his second stakes winner when Anemacore (Unusual Suspect) lived up to his long-held potential and pre-race favouritism with victory in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed Coastline BMW Sunshine Coast Cup (1400m).Ridden by Michael Rodd for trainer Shaun Dwyer, Anemacore had only three horses behind him with 300m to run but produced a powerful finishing burst to get up and win by a length and a quarter.Anemacore has now had 20 starts for six wi...

Tuxedo proves best dressed in Aotearoa Classic

The addition of blinkers and a super ride by Opie Bosson resulted in Tuxedo (Tivaci) taking out the first $1 million race on Karaka Millions night at Ellerslie, the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m).The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-prepared four-year-old has always shown massive promise and was a dual stakes winner during his three-year-old campaign before resuming with two meritorious performances in Group One company in the spring.Given a break after finishing sixth in the Gr.1 Howde...

Midnight Dart owners set to light up Karaka Millions night

Bargain buy Midnight Dart (Derryn) will be out to get the party started for his throng of next generation owners when the Lisa Latta-trained juvenile contests the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.The colt by Derryn was bought by Latta’s son Josh Herd for $20,000 from the Grangewilliam Stud draft at Karaka last year and was one of the first horses qualified for the Ellerslie feature when winning on debut at Trentham.Midnight Dart subsequently finished fourth t...

Elsdon Park building great record of success

Lib and Katrina Petagna’s Elsdon Park is fast building a reputation for excellence despite still being in its infancy.The Wellington couple took ownership of the stunning Matamata property formerly known as Valachi Downs in 2022, and their investment is paying dividends.Under the watch of General Manager Kerrie Cox, quality graduates are already emerging from the farm, while Petagna’s well-known apple green silks with a navy sash and navy and yellow striped sleeves continue to be prominent o...