2004 Premier Sale Concludes In Great Style

28 January 2004

2004 Premier Sale Summary
Average up 17% Aggregate up 31%

The Premier Session of the National Yearling Sales ended in spectacular style today with one of the last yearlings of the sale, Lot 509 the Danehill x Grand Echezeaux colt stealing the show. This exceptional colt was purchased by David Ellis of Te Akau Racing, New Zealand, from the draft of Pencarrow Stud for $1,100,000, eclipsing the $1,000,000 price tag achieved on Day 1 for Lot 159, the colt also by Danehill from Push A Venture.

The eventual top lot of the 2004 Premier Sale, Lot 509 possesses the pedigree and the looks of an exciting future stallion prospect, being a son of the mighty Danehill and the first foal of Grand Echezeaux (by Zabeel) who was herself an outstanding racemare, featuring the Group 1 SAJC Australasian Oaks among her 4 wins. She is a half sister to great mare Romanee Conti, winner of the coveted Hong Kong International Cup and more recently in the headlines as the dam of New Zealand and Australian Champion Stayer, Ethereal, who captured the rare Group 1 Melbourne Cup & Caulfield Cup double, as well as winning the Group 1 Queensland Oaks and Group 1 STC BMW Stakes. Under bidder on the top colt was Adrian Nicoll of BBA Ireland, who secured the $1million colt by Danehill x Push A Venture at the opening session.

Overall the pre-sale optimism of vendors and buyers has been justified by what has proved a very successful sale. Most impressive is the more than $10,000,000 increase (up 31%) in sale aggregate from 2003 to a final figure today of $44,782,000. Also extremely pleasing is the 17% growth in the sale average from $95,291 last year, to $111,955, and the 8% upward movement in median price to $72,500. The clearance rate remained on par with last year's sale at 83%.

This year the Premier Sale has well and truly demonstrated that New Zealand is able to attract the leading buyers from all over the world. Buyers from England, Ireland, Australia and Hong Kong had a significant presence, with Singapore, USA and the Philippines also active. But just as pleasing is the force that New Zealand buyers proved to be throughout the Sale. To have New Zealand buyers taking home two of the top three lots is extremely encouraging for the New Zealand industry.

The overall leading buyer by aggregate for the second consecutive year was Graeme Rogerson who again made a huge impact on the sale with 27 purchases for $3,202,500. New Zealand Bloodstock as agent for Hong Kong and other clients was next at 20 lots fo $2,912,500, David Ellis also made a major impact on the sale with his 28 yearlings purchased for $2,575,000. Adrian Nicoll of BBA Ireland took 3 lots for $1,560,000 while DGR Thoroughbred Services of Australia was 5th leading buyer with 7 lots for $1,530,000.

Selling the $1.1million colt helped Pencarrow Stud to easily capture the Leading Vendor by Average position, with 14 offered, 14 sold for an average of $249,286. While Sir Patrick Hogan's Cambridge Stud achieved the highest vendor aggregate for what is believed to be the 23rd year in succession, with 47 sold for a toal of $7,452,500.

No surprise to see Danehill again topping the Leading sires by Average, with his penultimate crop averaging $417,273 for 11 sold. Of the first crop sires, Fusaichi Pegasus achieved the highest average at $255,556 for 9 sold and selling up to $500,000.

"Going into this year's Premier Sale we were hoping to achieve somewhere around 10% growth in average and aggregate. To see the average climb by 17% and the aggregate by a huge 31% is extremely satisfying to say the least. Our vendors really stepped up to the plate to support our Premier Sale with the vast majority of their very best yearlings and they have been justly rewarded. Not only was the top end of the market incredibly strong, but the all-important median or middle market also grew significantly. Buyers from across the globe love coming to Karaka and when we combine this advantage with pedigrees and yearlings of top international quality as we did this year we had the right ingredients for what has been a highly successful sale," concluded New Zealand Bloodstock's General Manager, Bloodstock & Marketing, Julia Naismith at the close of the 2004 Premier Sale.

2004 PREMIER SALE

FINAL OVERALL STATISTICS

AVERAGE� = $111,955

18% increase from last year's Premier Sale final average

2003 Final Premier Sale average = $95,291

OVERALL AGGREGATE = $44,782,000

2003 End of Premier Sale Aggregate = $34,209,500

OVERALL PREMIER LOTS SOLD = 400

2003 PREMIER LOTS SOLD = 353

1ST & 2ND SESSION CLEARANCE RATE = 83%

2003 Final Premier Sale Clearance rate =83%

OVERALL MEDIAN = $72,500

2003 MEDIAN = $67,500

OVERALL TOP PRICE = Lot 509 $1,100,000 Danehill x Grand Echezeaux

2003 TOP PRICE = Lot 190 $660,000 Zabeel x L'Quiz

OVERALL LEADING BUYERS BY AGGREGATE

1st = Rogerson Bloodstock������������������������������������������������� 27 Lots for $3,202,500

2nd = New Zealand Bloodstock as agent�������������������������� 20 Lots for $2,912,000

3rd = Mr David Ellis�������������������������������������������������������������� 28 Lots for $2,575,000

4th = BBA Ireland������������������������������������������������������������������ 3 Lots for $1,560,000

5th = DGR Thoroughbred Services������������������������ 6 Lots for $1,480,000���������������������������������������������������������� ����������� �����������������������

TOP 10 LOTS OVERALL v = vendor�� p= purchaser

1. LOT 509 DANEHILL X GRAND ECHEZEAUX��������������������������������������� $1,100,000 v=Pencarrow Stud/p=David Ellis

2. LOT 159 DANEHILL X PUSH A VENTURE������������������������������ ����������� $1,000,000

v=Curraghmore Stud/p=British Bloodstock Agency

3. LOT 393 QUEST FOR FAME X CHIMEARA���������������������������� ����������� $750,000

v=Pencarrow Stud/p=Rob McAnulty

4. LOT 304 ZABEEL X WAIHORA'S LASS���������������������������������� ����������� $600,000

v=Haunui Farm/p=DGR Thoroughbred Services

5. LOT 389 DANEHILL X CHAMPAGNE�� ����������������������������������������������� $575,000

v=Cambridge Stud/p=Gai Waterhouse

6. LOT 452 FUSAICHI PEGASUS X EMERALD��������������������������������������� $500,000

����������� v=Chequers Stud/p=Coolmore Australia

7. LOT 138 FUSAICHI PEGASUS X PALIA��������������������������������� ����������� $480,000

v=Cambridge Stud/p=Mr W Leung

8. LOT 90 MONTJEU X MAZARINE�������������������������������������������� ����������� $460,000

v=Ascot Farm/p=Cambridge Stud

9. LOT 47 THUNDER GULCH X LA BRILLANTE��� ����������������������� ����������� $420,000

v=Windsor Park/p=Kieran Moore Bloodstock

10. LOT 17 ZABEEL X JACQWIN)���������������������������������������������� ����������� $410, 000

v=Waikato Stud/p=British Bloodstock Agency�����������������������������������������������������