Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Following another season of global success for its graduates on the track, the 2024 catalogue for the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale was unveiled on Monday evening.
The 2024 edition of the sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from 11am (NZT) over two days: Wednesday, 20 November, and Thursday, 21 November.
Ahead of the sale, the all-important Breeze Ups will be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on Monday, 21 October, and Tuesday, 22 October, giving potential investors and participants the opportunity to assess the action and temperament of all 404 catalogued lots.
Last year, the sale achieved a top price of NZ$825,000 for a colt by Vinery’s Star Turn, offered by KB Bloodstock. Named Megastar Heart, the sale-topper has already impressed on the track, winning the Listed Oxlade S. at Eagle Farm in June, in just his fourth start.
Megastar Heart was the NZ$825,000 sale-topper at last year's NZB Ready to Run Sale | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The sale also set a record-breaking turnover of NZ$35.1 million and an average price of NZ$156,031.
New Zealand Bloodstock’s Managing Director, Andrew Seabrook, acknowledged that matching last year’s results will be a challenge, but he remains confident in the quality on offer.
“We’ve got a big job to match last year’s record sale, but with the calibre of horses assembled in this year’s catalogue, we are certainly heading in the right direction."
Andrew Seabrook | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Seabrook added, “The horses produced for the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by our horsemen and women continue to make headlines, and the honour roll just keeps growing.
“We’ve already had huge interest in the sale, with people eager to return to Karaka. Our bloodstock team is hard at work, canvassing in Australia, Hong Kong, and Europe. Although we’ve lost Singapore, we’ve built strong relationships with emerging markets like Malaysia, China, and Korea.
“The horses produced for the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by our horsemen and women continue to make headlines, and the honour roll just keeps growing.” - Andrew Seabrook
Group 1 graduates now at 29 and growing
The New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale boasts an enviable honour roll, showcasing the quality of horses sourced from the Karaka complex across all price ranges. At the top end, stakes winner Megastar Heart fetched a high price, while the $13 million earner Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) came from the 2019 edition of the sale with a modest reserve of just NZ$50,000.
Hong Kong superstars Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}) and Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) are also graduates of this sale. Golden Sixty was offered by Riversley Park in 2017, where F Lui secured the future 11-time Group 1 winner for NZ$300,000. Champion sprinter Lucky Sweynesse was purchased for NZ$90,000 from J & I Bloodstock’s draft, presented by Woburn Farm in 2020.
Mr Brightside (NZ) was offered through the 2019 NZB Ready to Run Sale but was passed in with a modest reserve of NZ$50,000 | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Last season, graduates of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale continued to shine on the track. Warmonger (NZ) (War Decree {USA}) delivered a jaw-dropping performance in the G1 Queensland Derby, dominating the race by 10l. The son of War Decree (USA), standing at Inglewood Stud, was pinhooked by Prima Park and Bevan Bloodstock for NZ$75,000 from Valachi Downs at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale Book 2. Warmonger was later offered by Kelly Van Dyk’s Prima Park and sold for NZ$165,000 to SJ Kennedy.
Another standout was Pulchritudinous (NZ) (Wrote {Ire}), who triumphed in the G1 New Zealand Oaks before being transferred to the stables of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. The daughter of Wrote (Ire) was presented by Riverrock Farm in 2022 with a reserve of NZ$50,000.
Overall, the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale is responsible for producing 29 Group 1-winning graduates and 117 stakes races.
Pulchritudinous (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
New Zealand Bloodstock’s Director of Business Development, Mike Kneebone, told The Thoroughbred Report, “Every year, a standout horse emerges from the sale, and one of the most impressive in recent memory is Warmonger’s annihilation in the Queensland Derby.
“There are always top-class horses available. For us, the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale is our second flagship sale, and it’s continuously improving. Our vendors have been honing their craft for a long time, but we’re also seeing fresh faces, all of whom know how to prepare horses for this sale.”
Kneebone also emphasised the advantage of having all catalogued horses working on the same track: “Having all horses prepared and trialled on the same course is a huge plus. It allows us to be innovative with things like timing, video footage, and even wind speed on the day – all valuable data because we’re not using different tracks across the country.
Mike Kneebone
“Everything is on one track, so you’re comparing apples with apples, which makes this sale unique. The catalogue improves every year, and who knows what future champions will emerge, but it’s looking pretty impressive to me.”
Kneebone added, “There have been 29 individual Group 1 winners from the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, along with numerous stakes winners. With 404 lots on offer, buyers are spoilt for choice.
“There have been 29 individual Group 1 winners from the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, along with numerous stakes winners. With 404 lots on offer, buyers are spoilt for choice.” - Mike Kneebone
“At any sale, you need to rely on what’s been achieved by its graduates, and in this case, it’s not just the quality but also the horsemanship of the Kiwis. What’s remarkable is that many of these top horses weren’t particularly expensive, with excellent options available for every budget.”
Loss of Asian markets
The closure of racing in Singapore has raised questions about its impact on the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Mike Kneebone shared his perspective: “We’ve known for four or five years now that the Singapore market has been declining. Although the announcement of its closure surprised many, it was clear that racing there had been slowing, particularly when it came to buyers. Macau faced a similar situation.
“So, we began looking at other markets to fill those gaps, and we’ve received good support from Malaysia. There are a lot of positives in their racing industry, which has shown real improvement. It was encouraging to have their involvement.
“We’ve also had strong support from countries like Korea and China.”
“... we began looking at other markets to fill those gaps (Singapore and Macau), and we’ve received good support from Malaysia. We’ve also had strong support from countries like Korea and China.” - Mike Kneebone
Hong Kong played a major role in last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. Over two days, Hong Kong-based buyers spent NZ$16.7 million on 70 2-year-olds, with an average price of NZ$238,771. Their purchases included the top-priced lot, Megastar Heart, bought by Pato Leung for NZ$825,000.
“As far as Hong Kong is concerned, the results speak for themselves. Graduates like Golden Sixty and Lucky Sweynesse, top-class horses that have performed at the highest level in Hong Kong, have solidified the strong support we continue to receive from that market,” Kneebone added.
World class sale
Mike Kneebone also highlighted the growing participation of Australian-based buyers at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. “The Australian market has been very favourable to the New Zealand Ready to Run Sale, and we’ve invested a lot of time and energy into building that relationship.
“One thing we’ve learned, especially with Asian and Australian-based buyers, is that they want plenty of options. They don’t like travelling unless they have a good range of horses to choose from, and with the Ready to Run Sale, there’s always been a strong variety of types and sires represented.
New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“Pinhooking has also become more widely accepted. New Zealand is renowned for its pinhooking expertise, with skilled horsemen going to Australia, selecting beautiful types, and bringing them back to New Zealand to offer at this sale.
“These horses are going on to win races globally. It’s truly an international 2-year-old sale. Beyond being the best in the Southern Hemisphere, I’d say it’s a world-class event.”
“These horses are going on to win races globally. It’s truly an international 2-year-old sale. Beyond being the best in the Southern Hemisphere, I’d say it’s a world-class event.” - Mike Kneebone
Sire power
With 404 lots catalogued, an increase from last year’s 383, the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale promises a diverse and exciting range of stallions represented.
A total of 101 individual sires from across Australasia have progeny entered. Among them are New Zealand’s nine-time Champion Sire, Savabeel and Juddmonte Farms' legendary Frankel (GB). Rich Hill Stud’s Champion Sire, Proisir, also has progeny in the sale.
Savabeel (NZ) | Standing at Waikato
From Australia, Yarraman Park Stud’s three-time Champion Sire, I Am Invincible, and Arrowfield's four-time Champion Sire, Snitzel, are represented. The now-retired Deep Field, whose progeny are highly favoured in the Asian market, also has offerings, as does Yulong’s Champion Sire, Written Tycoon.
Additionally, this year's sale features 29 siblings to stakes winners. Among them is Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}), whose full brother was purchased by Ohukia Lodge for NZ$300,000 at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Indomitable (NZ) (Danehill {USA}), the dam of multiple Group 1 winner and Windsor Park Stud-based sire Turn Me Loose (NZ), is represented by a colt by The Oaks Stud’s promising young stallion, U S Navy Flag (USA). A half-brother to Group 1 Robert Sangster S. victor Bella Vella (Commands) is also on offer, with the gelding by Rosemont Stud's first-season sire, Hanseatic, out of Forget The Weather (USA) (Stormy Atlantic {USA}).
“...This year's sale features 29 siblings to stakes winners. Among them is Arkansaw Kid, whose full brother was purchased by Ohukia Lodge for NZ$300,000 at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.”
Other notable relations include those to champions such as Verry Ellegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), Santa Ana Lane (Lope De Vega {Ire}), and the recent Listed Wyong Gold Cup victor, Lion’s Roar (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}). Additionally, siblings to prominent stallions Savabeel (Lot 61), I Am Invincible (Lot 62), and Zoustar (Lot 327) will also be featured. Multiple Group 1 winner Shillelagh (NZ) (Savabeel) will be represented by an I Am Invincible colt, alongside progeny from stakes-winning mares such as Coldplay (NZ) (Savabeel) and Sister Madly (Redoute’s Choice).
More than two dozen 2-year-olds in the Ready to Run Sale catalogue are eligible for the lucrative Karaka Millions Series, and any horse purchased at this sale can compete in New Zealand’s brand-new NZ$3.5 million race, the NZB Kiwi (1500 metres), to be run at Ellerslie every March.
