Ahead of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale next week, The Thoroughbred Report takes a look at some key vendors, starting with Cheltenham Stables.
Turning heads last year with a NZ$375,000 sale of an Iffraaj (GB) gelding out of the Dundeel (NZ) mare Bella Grace, Cheltenham Stables have brought a strong draft to the 2023 edition of the sale, with 11 lots set to go under the hammer at the time of publication.
Justify filly intriguing propsect
Potentially the most intriguing prospect of the class of 2023 is Lot 251, a Justify (USA) filly out of a two-time winning mare Special Memories (Fastnet Rock). She was a winner as a 2-year-old at Tarakani, and trained on to be a stakes-placed 3-year-old, running third in the Listed Canterbury S.
Bred on the same cross as the star juvenile Learning To Fly (Justify {USA}), she completed her breeze up in a time of 11.12s.
Lot 251 - Justify (USA) x Special Memories (filly) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Her third dam, Most Precious (USA) (Nureyev {USA}) won the Listed Prix de Lieurey in France over 1600 metres.
Lot 251 was entered for the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1) but was later withdrawn.
Savabeel stars
Fresh off another Group 1 success on Saturday thanks to the performance of Atishu (NZ) in the G1 Champions S., Savabeel has a presence in the Cheltenham Stables draft, in the form of Lot 383. Out of an unraced Encosta De Lago mare Cutting Remark, who has produced five runners for four winners.
Savabeel | Standing at Waikato Stud
One of those four is multiple Group-winning mare Spanish Whisper (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who was victorious in both the G2 Kewney S. and G2 Let’s Elope S. when active. Cutting Remark has produced winners over an array of distances, Spanish Whisper was a winner over 1200 metres, while Colossal (NZ) (Foxwedge) won over 2100 metres in New Zealand.
This colt’s second dam, Push A Venture (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) was a consistent producer herself, including a G3 Hobart Cup winner in Offenbach (Danehill {USA}) and Group 1-placed Glowlamp (Encosta De Lago), who ran third in the G1 Champagne S. as a 2-year-old.
He completed his breeze up in a time of 11.16s.
Lot 383 - Savabeel x Cutting Remark (colt) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Lot 383 was entered for the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale (Book 1) but was later withdrawn.
Dubious represented
Kitchwin Hills-based first-season sire Dubious will also be represented with Lot 204, a November-born colt. The colt is the ninth foal from the unraced Red Ransom (USA) mare, Redeeming Lass.
Redeeming Lass is the dam of the G3 Festival S. and the G3 Toy Show H. victress Sweet Redemption (Snitzel). While Redeeming Lass is a half-sister to the speedy Kingstar Farm-based stallion Unite And Conquer, a victor of the R. Listed Wyong Magic Millions 2YO Classic and the Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. down the Flemington straight.
Dubious | Standing at Kitchwin Hills
Lot 204’s second dam, the classy Danzero mare Danglissa, scored the G1 Flight S. and the G2 Queen of the Turf and was talented enough to finish second in the G1 Thousand Guineas. Other stakes winners on the page include the Listed winner Regal Lion (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}), who also recorded placings in the G1 New Zealand Derby and the G2 Tulloch S. alongside the Listed winner Euryale (Lonhro).
While the precocious Capitalist stallion Profiteer is part of the family. The young Newgate Farm-based sire was an authoritative winner of the R. Listed Inglis Millennium and placed in the G2 Todam S. and the G3 Blue Sapphire.
Lot 204 was a $70,000 purchase for Cheltenham Stables when offered by Alexia Fraser Bloodstock at the 2023 Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
The colt completed his 200-metre breeze on a Soft 5 track in a time of 10.92s.
Lot 204 - Dubious x Redeeming Lass (colt) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Young gun
Lot 3 of the sale is a well-related gelding by Embellish (NZ), who already has a Group 1-placegetter in the form of Talisker (NZ) amongst his progeny. This lot is from the Dane Shadow mare Dancing May, a winner over 2025 metres.
This gelding can boast relations to G1 South Australian Derby winner Shadows In The Sun (Dane Shadow), as well as links to both Marine One and Cannonball (Capitalist) via fourth dam Shop Talk (NZ) (Agricola {GB}).
Lot 3 - Embellish (NZ) x Dancing May (gelding) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Cheltenham Stables offer Lot 3 on behalf of Inglewood Stud who paid just NZ$5000 for him through the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale when offered by Castle Hill Farm.
His breeze time was 10.87s.
Another Lucky Sweynesse?
Progeny of Swyenesse have proven popular in the Asian market, headlined by multiple Group-winner Lucky Sweynesse (NZ). Lot 157 is one that is sure to attract International eyes, with a cross into a fast family a potentially valuable asset for the Hong Kong racing scene.
This gelding is out of O’Becky (NZ) (Capo Blanco {Ire}), who has a strong page attached to her. Lot 157 is her first foal, and she passes down plenty of speed, being a half-sister to Captain Kurt (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}), who was a winner over 1200 metres and Group 1-placed in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas as a 3-year-old.
Lot 157 - Sweynesse x O'Becky (NZ) (gelding) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The third dam, Sequita (NZ) (Sovereign Edition {Ire}) was a prolific winner on the racetrack, winning 10 times, including in the G2 ARC Great Britain- New Zealand S. and the G3 Lady Norrie S. Her exploits as a producer have been just as credible, with G2 Frank Packer Plate winner Never Quit (NZ), G2 Hardy Brothers Classic winner (Super) Sequel (NZ) (Centaine) and 2-year-old stakes winner Tanker (Pride Of Dubai) amongst her nine foals to win races.
Lot 157 completed his breeze up in a time of 10.87s.
Other lots
Plenty is on offer throughout a deep draft, including Lots 228 and 265, both geldings by Per Incanto (USA), and Lot 167, a gelding by El Roca who completed his breeze-up in a nice time of 10.93s. With a strong class of 2023 on offer, it would be no surprise to see Cheltenham Stables right up there as one of the leading vendors this sale.
