Day 1 of Ready to Run Sale Sets a Record Pace

22 November 2017

Regal Farm’s Lot 106 set the highest price of Day 1 at $460,000. Photo: Trish Dunell.
Regal Farm’s Lot 106 set the highest price of Day 1 at $460,000. Photo: Trish Dunell.

A diverse international buying bench featured strongly throughout the day bringing highly regarded results during Day 1 of the Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds. The Sale recorded the highest ever average at a two-year-old sale in Australasia today, breaking the record set at the end of the 2016 NZB Ready to Run Sale and firmly cementing its position as the leading sale of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Hong Kong buyers were active early in the day and the momentum continued with the top price coming mid-day when Regal Farm’s Lot 106 met competitive bidding. The son of Hinchinbrook was knocked down to David Lui and Karl Chan of Hong Kong-based Sweetbriar Equine for $460,000.

Lui indicated the colt would remain in New Zealand to be pre-trained, with several options as to where his racing career will be aimed.

“I think he will be an early runner. He breezed well and we like the pedigree,” Lui said.

“Hinchinbrook is going very well in Hong Kong and we think his popularity will continue to grow.”

Hong Kong bloodstock agent Willie Leung, who works closely with the pair, reiterated his appreciation of the colt.

“The sale this year is very strong and it was a hard fight to buy the horse which is an indication of how many good judges were keen on him,” Leung said.

“He seems to be a nice relaxed type that will suit the Hong Kong racing environment. I think that is one of the major selling points from this sale in that it always seems to produce horses that go to Hong Kong and perform extremely well.”

Amongst the many Hong Kong buyers today was Ricky Yiu who secured three two-year-olds totalling $560,000 in receipts, all over $100,000 and the highest priced at $280,000 for JK Farm’s Lot 61.

With increases to the aggregate, average and clearance rate, the first day of selling has surpassed results of last year’s Day 1. With 60 fewer horses catalogued today compared with the first day of last year’s Sale, the aggregate for Day 1 finished at $15,690,500 increasing by over $1,000,000 for 145 lots sold. The average increased by 7% reaching $108,210 and the clearance rate settled at 75%.

NZB’s Bloodstock Sales Manager Danny Rolston is pleased with where the results are at after Day 1 and is looking forward to tomorrow’s offerings.

“The buying bench at Karaka has reinforced how important the Sale is on the international sale calendar,” commented Rolston.

A reduction in the number of horses catalogued contributed to a healthy clearance rate on par with 2015. With key indicators better than last year, the vendors have been well rewarded for their hard work.”

The Australian buying bench continued to strengthen throughout the day with their purchases accounting for 34% ($5,302,500 for 50 horses) - marginally ahead of Hong Kong at 32% ($5,063,000 for 24 horses).

Domestic buyers’ presence was similar with last year purchasing 47 horses for a total spend of $3,884,500 and accounting for 25% of today’s aggregate.

The leading buyer of the day was Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis who purchased nine horses for $1,510,000, with a top price of $350,000 paid for Lyndhurst Farm’s Lot 192.

The leading vendor by aggregate was Regal Farm with nine two-year-olds selling for an aggregate of $1,525,000.

For the second consecutive year Lyndhurst Farm were the leading vendor by average (three or more sold) with five horses sold for an average of $286,000.

The leading sire by average (three or more sold) was Fastnet Rock with three lots sold for an average of $203,333.

Day 2 of the Ready to Run Sale will commence tomorrow from 11am at Karaka, with all lots being streamed live online at www.nzb.co.nz.

2017 Ready to Run Sale Statistics - Day One

  2017 DAY ONE 2016 DAY ONE
AGGREGATE $15,690,500 $14,610,500
AVERAGE $108,210 $101,462
MEDIAN $65,000 $70,000
CLEARANCE 75% 57%
CATALOGUED 220 280
SOLD 145 144
TOP LOT $460,000 (B. C) Hinchinbrook (AUS) – El Ashb (IRE) Lot 106 $650,000 (Ch.C Sebring x Joleur) Lot 280

Top Lots

Lot Type Breeding Vendor Purchaser Price
106 B.C Hinchinbrook / El Ashb Regal Farm Sweetbriar Equine (Hong Kong) $460,000
174 B.C Fastnet Rock / Jolie's Shinju Curraghmore Mark Pilkington Management / Lindsay Park Racing (VIC) $400,000
165 B.C Tavistock / Indian Song Anzac Lodge Mr Me Tsui (Hong Kong) $375,000
80 BR.G Smart Missile / Cyclone Stacey Lyndhurst Farm George Moore Bloodstock (Hong Kong) $350,000
139 BR.G Pins / Genius Leanach Lodge Mr EHT Hung (Hong Kong) $350,000
192 BR.G Savabeel / La Belle Epoque Lyndhurst Farm Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau) $350,000
199 G.C Reliable Man / La Grande Dame Phoenix Park Gai Waterhouse Racing / Bluesky Bloodstock (NSW) $310,000
200 BR.C Savabeel / La Praline Kilmore Farm Mr Eric HP Wong (Hong Kong) $310,000
10 B.C Tavistock / Alleyrun Ohukia Lodge Busuttin Racing & Tim Scales (VIC) $300,000
98 B.C Hinchinbrook / Downstream Lyndhurst Farm Mr KP Fung (Hong Kong) $300,000
136 B.C Medaglia d'Oro / Gaudeamus Riversley Park Mr F Lui (Hong Kong) $300,000

Leading Purchasers by Aggregate

Purchaser Bought Aggregate Average Top Price Top Lot
Mr DC Ellis (Te Akau) 9 $1,510,000 $167,778 $350,000 192
Mr R Yiu (Hong Kong) 3 $560,000 $186,667 $280,000 61
Mr K Chittaseni (Thailand) 3 $465,000 $155,000 $210,000 133
Sweetbriar Equine (Hong Kong) 1 $460,000 $460,000 $460,000 106
Yulong Investment NZ (Auckland) 9 $444,000 $49,333 $150,000 135
Bluesky Bloodstock (QLD) 3 $440,000 $146,667 $260,000 92
Mark Pilkington Management / Lindsay Park Racing (VIC) 1 $400,000 $400,000 $400,000 174
Mr Me Tsui (Hong Kong) 1 $375,000 $375,000 $375,000 165
Victoria Peak Bloodstock (QLD) 4 $370,000 $92,500 $210,000 172
Gai Waterhouse Racing / Bluesky Bloodstock (NSW) 2 $365,000 $182,500 $310,000 199

Leading Vendors by Aggregate

Vendor Sold Aggregate Average Top Price Top Lot
Regal Farm 9 $1,525,000 $169,444 $460,000 106
Lyndhurst Farm 5 $1,430,000 $286,000 $350,000 80
Diamond Lodge 9 $1,092,500 $121,389 $250,000 53
Riversley Park 6 $1,040,000 $173,333 $300,000 136
Ohukia Lodge 9 $1,025,000 $113,889 $300,000 10
Kilgravin Lodge 11 $873,000 $79,364 $175,000 154
Curraghmore 4 $862,000 $215,500 $400,000 174
Westbury Stud 13 $807,500 $62,115 $260,000 4
JK Farm 6 $760,000 $126,667 $280,000 61
Kilmore Farm 4 $580,000 $145,000 $310,000 200

Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold)

Vendor Name Sold Average Aggregate Top Price Top Lot
Lyndhurst Farm 5 $286,000 $1,430,000 $350,000 80
Curraghmore 4 $215,500 $862,000 $400,000 174
Leanach Lodge 3 $180,000 $540,000 $350,000 139
Riversley Park 6 $173,333 $1,040,000 $300,000 136
Regal Farm 9 $169,444 $1,525,000 $460,000 106
Anzac Lodge 3 $165,000 $495,000 $375,000 165
Jamieson Park 3 $155,000 $465,000 $210,000 172
Kilmore Farm 4 $145,000 $580,000 $310,000 200
JK Farm 6 $126,667 $760,000 $280,000 61
Diamond Lodge 9 $121,389 $1,092,500 $250,000 53

Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold)

Sire Sold Aggregate Average Top Price Top Lot
Fastnet Rock 3 $610,000 $203,333 $400,000 174
Tavistock 7 $1,290,000 $184,286 $375,000 165
Reliable Man 6 $970,000 $161,667 $310,000 199
Showcasing 3 $330,000 $110,000 $160,000 207
O'Reilly 4 $410,000 $102,500 $210,000 133
Jimmy Choux 3 $245,000 $81,667 $130,000 159
Makfi 3 $202,500 $67,500 $115,000 111
Darci Brahma 5 $325,000 $65,000 $110,000 84
Shamexpress* 4 $239,500 $59,875 $130,000 89
Rock 'n' Pop 4 $235,000 $58,750 $110,000 219

*First season sire