Successful Start to 2007 for Karaka Graduates (article courtesy of www.nzb.co.nz)
One of the biggest days of the New Zealand racing calendar - New Year's Day at Ellerslie - saw many results augur well for the upcoming National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka. The ten-race card featured five stakes races, of which four of the winners were offered for sale by New Zealand Bloodstock.
Some exciting two-year-old talent emerged in the Group 3 New Zealand Herald Eclipse Stakes (1200m) when the imposing Grand Dancer (No Excuse Needed x Clermont Rose) won by half a length over Seppelt (Danehill Dancer x Great Vintage) and Roussay (Fusaichi Pegasus x Palia). All three were offered for sale at the 2006 Karaka Premier Sale.
Trainer Bruce Wallace purchased Grand Dancer from Little Avondale Stud's draft for NZ$280,000. This year the Stud will offer his half-sister by Towkay at Lot 583 on Thursday 1 February. Rogerson Bloodstock secured Seppelt for NZ$75,000 from Cambridge Stud while Roussay, a full brother to Dr Green, was passed through the ring to be retained to race by breeder Bob Emery.
In the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Royal Stakes (2000m) Keep the Passion (Keeper x Impassion) prevailed to become the second Group race winner from her sire's first crop. Trainer Lance O'Sullivan purchased Keep the Passion at the 2005 Karaka Select Sale for NZ$77,500.
Karaka Select Sale graduate Highflying (Entrepreneur x Crystal Brook) took out the Group 2 Speights City of Auckland Cup (2400m) under a thrilled Troy Harris. The five-year-old mare is trained by New Plymouth trainer Dick Bothwell who secured the filly for NZ$10,000 from her breeder, Richard Rutherford's Beltana Stud.
The Peter and Barbara Smith bred Willy Smith (Volksraad x Sound Lear) was a length-and-a-half back in second while a further long neck back was So You (Grosvenor x Lutece) in third.
Richard Dee purchased Willy Smith at the 2003 Karaka Select Sale for NZ$38,000 from Curraghmore Stud.
Donna Rosita (Woodborough x Nipoh Madonna) claimed the feature of the day, The Group 1 Waiwera Infinity Railway Stakes (1200m) ahead of Gee I Jane (Jahafil x Miss Distinction). Both mares were offered for Sale by New Zealand Bloodstock but were passed unsold through the ring. A half-brother to dual Group 1 winner, Gee I Jane, will be offered by Denny and Mark Baker's Hallmark Stud at Lot 278.
The Group 2 Rich Hill Mile was taken out by Dezigna (Volksraad x Label Basher) with Karaka graduates Sir Slick (Volksraad x Miss Opera) and Ciara (O'Reilly x Kincia) rounding off the placings. Ciara's half-brother by Danasinga will be offered by Little Avondale Stud at Lot 756 and so will Grand Dancers half-sister by Towkay Lot 583. Click here http://www.lastud.com/forsale/action/upcomingsale/ to see pictures of them. The New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series will be conducted from 29 January to 4 February. For online catalogues go to http://www.nzb.co.nz/.
