Drop in Domestic Spend Hits Select Sale
3 February 2017
A clear drop in domestic spend has had a significant impact on this year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Select Sale and was the difference between matching last year’s healthy results.
After a tentative start on Wednesday, clearance strengthened throughout the sale to settle at 76% today with 437 individuals sold over the three days for total receipts of $20,679,500 and an average price of $47,363. The median price remained steady at $40,000, a 16% drop however on last year’s median price of $47,500.
“Our flat domestic racing industry has had a disappointing effect on the Select Sale and the negative impact it is having is even more evident when looking at the Premier and Select sessions from this week combined.”
“Over the past five days over $6.5 million less has been spent by domestic buyers who have historically underpinned the middle market,” commented New Zealand Bloodstock Managing Director Andrew Seabrook.
In the Select Sale international buyers accounted for 42% of the horses bought, spending $10.8 million (52% of the sale’s aggregate) while domestic buyers secured 252 horses for $9.86 million (48% of the sale’s aggregate). Australian buyers accounted for a quarter of the overall spend with activity also from Hong Kong, Singapore and Great Britain.
Today’s highest-priced Lot was fittingly the last yearling by Waikato Stud’s perennial champion sire O’Reilly to go through the Karaka sale ring. Having attracted feverish bidding from many parties, Cambridge-based conditioner Roger James proved too strong with a final bid of $200,000.
At Lot 1097 the colt is from the Zabeel mare Toss Up and from the family of dual Oaks winner Daffodil and with this in mind James has big Derby aspirations for him.
“There were only two colts I had earmarked as Derby types and he was at the top of that short list.”
“Because of the current situation with our domestic racing it’s been hard to attract owners and I’ve come with a significantly lower budget this year which has made it tough going.”
Musing after the sale Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick commented “O’Reilly’s responsible for where Waikato Stud stands in the market now and it’s a sad moment because he was part of the family.”
“However, his legacy will continue on through his youngstock, broodmares and his sire-sons with the likes of Shamexpress being leading first season sire at Premier this year and our own Sacred Falls whose first yearlings will be sold next year.”
Waikato Bloodstock and Kangyu International Racing were strong throughout the Select Sale and were the eventual leading purchaser with nine bought for a combined price of $880,000.
Westbury Stud took top honours as the leading vendor by aggregate selling 40 Lots for $2,079,500 and their top price fetched being $135,000 for Lot 1024. The Swiss Ace colt is a half-brother to four winners and was bought by Singapore-based trainer Stephen Gray.
Stud manager Russell Warwick was pleased with the Westbury’s standing at the end of the sale.
“We were quite concerned after day one but were able to sell plenty out of their boxes and then during the course of the Sale it gained momentum and we got some healthy prices.”
“The buyers will be there for nice horses and today we had some good types going through and their prices reflected that.”
Marc and Sarah Devcich’s Henley Park emerged the leaders by average at the Select Sale, selling four for an average of $80,250 and their top price, a Denman colt at Lot 520, selling for $140,000 to Australian syndicators Champion Thoroughbreds.
Novara Park’s Jakkalberry, a first season sire, topped the leading sire table by average with three youngsters selling for an average of $92,500. Off the back of a $6,000 service fee the young sire also made headlines in the Premier Sale when his yearling from Refused the Dance at Lot 366, a half-brother to Victorian Derby and Melbourne Cup winner Efficient fetched $440,000.
The 240 Lot Festival Sale will commence with Lot 1107 at 11am on Sunday. Click here to view the passed in Lots from the Select Sale.
2017 Select Sale Statistics
| 2017 SELECT SALE | 2016 SELECT SALE | 2015 SELECT SALE | |
| AGGREGATE | $20,679,500 | $26,326,700 | $18,304,000 |
| AVERAGE | $47,363 | $57,734 | $46,813 |
| MEDIAN | $40,000 | $47,500 | $35,000 |
| CLEARANCE | 76% | 79% | 75% |
| CATALOGUED | 641 | 633 | 592 |
| SOLD | 437 | 456 | 391 |
| TOP PRICE | Lot 728 B.F Per Incanto - Grable - $300,000 | Lot 827 B.C O'Reilly x Darcey Bussell - $300,000 | Lot 610 B.C Tartan Bearer x Pink Pier - $525,000 |
Top Lots
| Lot | Type | Breeding | Vendor | Purchaser | Price |
| 728 | B.F | Per Incanto / Grable | Little Avondale Stud | Redgum Racing (VIC) | $300,000 |
| 1097 | BB.C | O'Reilly / Toss Up | Waikato Stud | Mr RA James (Cambridge) | $200,000 |
| 533 | BR.C | Zacinto / Anya | Inglewood Stud | Waikato Bloodstock / Kangyu International Racing (Hong Kong) | $180,000 |
| 622 | B.C | Casino Prince / Contented | Waikato Stud | TP Racing (Auckland) | $180,000 |
| 746 | B.C | Shamexpress / Hollywood Angel | Blandford Lodge | Phill Cataldo Bloodstock / Fittocks Stud (VIC) | $175,000 |
| 638 | BR.C | Per Incanto / Da Vinci Code | Little Avondale Stud | LB Racing (QLD) | $170,000 |
| 881 | B.C | Tavistock / Monkey Magic | Cambria Park | Mr M Downs (NSW) | $160,000 |
| 779 | B.C | Showcasing / Khales | Haunui Farm | John Chalmers Bloodstock (WA) | $145,000 |
| 1065 | G.F | Burgundy / Streaming | Cambridge Stud | Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau) | $145,000 |
| 520 | BR.C | Denman / Alpena Rosea | Henley Park | Champion Thoroughbreds (NSW) | $140,000 |
| 668 | BR.C | Ocean Park / Elchester | Jamieson Park | Mr M Downs (NSW) | $140,000 |
| 764 | B.C | Power / Jayasuriya | Brighthill Farm | DR Cole Racing Stables (NSW) | $140,000 |
Leading Purchasers by Aggregate
| Purchaser | Bought | Aggregate | Average | Top Price |
| Waikato Bloodstock / Kangyu International Racing (Hong Kong) | 9 | $880,000 | $97,778 | $180,000 (Lot 533) |
| Paul Moroney Bloodstock (VIC) | 12 | $675,000 | $56,250 | $130,000 (Lot 601) |
| John Foote Bloodstock (Hong Kong) | 9 | $567,000 | $63,000 | $100,000 (Lot 875) |
| Team Rogerson (Hamilton) | 10 | $497,500 | $49,750 | $120,000 (Lot 528) |
| Mr M Downs (NSW) | 6 | $496,000 | $82,667 | $160,000 (Lot 881) |
| Tartan Meadow Bloodstock (Hong Kong) | 7 | $413,500 | $59,071 | $115,000 (Lot 1102) |
| Go Racing (Auckland) | 7 | $365,000 | $52,143 | $85,000 (Lot 727) |
| Mr P Ho (Hong Kong) | 4 | $330,000 | $82,500 | $100,000 (Lot 555) |
| Aquanita Racing (VIC) | 7 | $315,000 | $45,000 | $90,000 (Lot 860) |
| Mr RA James (Cambridge) | 4 | $306,000 | $76,500 | $200,000 (Lot 1097) |
Leading Vendors by Aggregate
| Vendor | Sold | Aggregate | Average | Top Price |
| Westbury Stud | 40 | $2,079,500 | $51,988 | $135,000 (Lot 1024) |
| Haunui Farm | 30 | $1,582,500 | $52,750 | $145,000 (Lot 779) |
| Little Avondale Stud | 20 | $1,512,500 | $75,625 | $300,000 (Lot 728) |
| Waikato Stud | 35 | $1,431,500 | $40,900 | $200,000 (Lot 1097) |
| Wentwood Grange | 20 | $916,000 | $45,800 | $130,000 (Lot 731) |
| Brighthill Farm | 15 | $757,000 | $50,467 | $140,000 (Lot 764) |
| Cambridge Stud | 23 | $715,500 | $31,109 | $145,000 (Lot 1065) |
| Curraghmore | 14 | $682,000 | $48,714 | $100,000 (Lot 740) |
| Rich Hill Stud | 15 | $554,000 | $36,933 | $120,000 (Lot 541) |
| Hallmark Stud | 11 | $543,500 | $49,409 | $100,000 (Lot 602) |
Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold)
| Vendor | Sold | Average | Aggregate | Top Price |
| Henley Park | 4 | $80,250 | $321,000 | $140,000 (Lot 520) |
| Jamieson Park | 7 | $76,071 | $532,500 | $140,000 (Lot 668) |
| Little Avondale Stud | 20 | $75,625 | $1,512,500 | $300,000 (Lot 728) |
| Blandford Lodge | 5 | $73,700 | $368,500 | $175,000 (Lot 746) |
| Ardsley Stud | 6 | $70,833 | $425,000 | $130,000 (Lot 894) |
| Inglewood Stud | 4 | $69,500 | $278,000 | $180,000 (Lot 533) |
| The Oaks Stud | 8 | $67,750 | $542,000 | $135,000 (Lot 691) |
| Pencarrow Stud | 5 | $62,400 | $312,000 | $95,000 (Lot 1055) |
| Ainsley Downs Stud | 4 | $58,750 | $235,000 | $80,000 (Lot 785) |
| Valachi Downs | 5 | $55,800 | $279,000 | $130,000 (Lot 601) |
Leading Sires
| Sire | Sold | Average | Aggregate | Top Price |
| Jakkalberry* | 3 | $92,500 | $277,500 | $130,000 (Lot 907) |
| Smart Missile | 3 | $86,667 | $260,000 | $105,000 (Lot 759) |
| Per Incanto | 17 | $80,118 | $1,362,000 | $300,000 (Lot 728) |
| Poet's Voice | 3 | $68,667 | $206,000 | $110,000 (Lot 938) |
| Power | 11 | $59,818 | $658,000 | $140,000 (Lot 764) |
| Darci Brahma | 9 | $57,167 | $514,500 | $100,000 (Lot 555) |
| Swiss Ace | 20 | $57,125 | $1,142,500 | $135,000 (Lot 1024) |
| Showcasing | 11 | $56,227 | $618,500 | $145,000 (Lot 779) |
| Iffraaj | 13 | $55,192 | $717,500 | $120,000 (Lot 671) |
| Shocking | 9 | $54,500 | $490,500 | $120,000 (Lot 541) |
*First season sire