Photo: Trish Dunell
Buyers in both hemispheres have clamoured for the first weanling progeny of Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Chaldean, and that huge demand continued with his very first weanling to go through the Karaka sale ring during the NZB National Weanling Sale on Thursday.
Mike Fleming of major Australian players Bhima ventured across the Tasman and secured the quality chestnut colt for $250,000.
It was the highest price paid at NZB’s National Weanling Sale since 2022, when a Savabeel-Bohemian Lily colt from the Valachi Downs dispersal was knocked down for $360,000. The top lots in between times were $150,000 in 2023, $170,000 in 2024 and $190,000 in 2025.
This year’s sale-topping colt was only the second Chaldean weanling to be offered at auction in the southern hemisphere, following on from a filly that fetched A$180,000 at the Inglis Great Southern Sale earlier this month.
“I bought a couple here a few years ago and I’m always happy to come over for the right horse that’s forward and well-moving,” Fleming said.
“This colt’s a lovely horse. I came in yesterday, and with the rain, I didn’t get out yesterday so I waited until this morning. He was right at the top of my list.
“A few other people have come in with us on him, and we’ll get him back to New South Wales and see where he heads over there next year.”
Fleming was not surprised to have to go to $200,000 and beyond to secure the colt, who was offered by Haunui Farm and catalogued as Lot 3. He is the second foal out of the Showcasing mare Novashow, who won twice and finished fourth in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).
“It’s always hard to know when you’ve got someone on the phone, but we were thinking that, with the horse he was and how he stacked up with the others, he was the sort of horse that was always going to make his 200,” Fleming said.
“I suppose, when you get to 200, you start converting it back to Aussie dollars. You know, in the end, he probably landed at about 200,000 Aussie.”
Chaldean is a son of legendary racehorse and influential sire Frankel, and he began his own stud career after winning five races including the Gr.1 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Dewhurst Stakes (1400m).
The strong response to Chaldean’s first weanlings in the southern hemisphere has mirrored his debut at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in England, where his first crop averaged the equivalent of NZ$260,000 and sold for up to NZ$580,000.
“This colt was only the second Chaldean that’s gone for auction in the southern hemisphere, and he had a very good filly that sold well at Great Southern in Melbourne,” Fleming said. “If the sire is putting them together like that, I think the Aussie buyers will be into them next year as well, so that had a bearing for us too.”
Chaldean, who will stand for $35,000 plus GST this season, was also represented by a Curraghmore presented filly out of Top Note as Lot 54, with the sharp mover sold to Woburn Farm for $55,000.
