Zabeel colt highlights strong Karaka Premier Sale

Monday's opening session of the two-day New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale

set the tone and the momentum continued Tuesday during a brilliant day of

selling at Karaka.

Sydney-based bloodstock agent James Bester helped provide the fireworks when

going to a sale-topping NZ$2 million (US$1,423,470) for a Zabeel colt out of the

Danehill mare Diamond Like. Cambridge Stud consigned the handsome bay, who is

the third-highest yearling ever to sell at Karaka.

Catalogued as Lot 373 (video), the colt was produced by a stakes-winning,

multiple Group 1-placed full-sister to Group 1 winner Viking Ruler and Group 2

hero and Victoria Derby (Aus-G1) runner-up Kempinsky; and a three-parts sister

to Group 2 winner and New Zealand One Thousand Guineas (NZ-G1) third Lovetrista

(Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]). The colt's second dam is the first-class Tristalove

(Sir Tristram), champion two-year-old filly in New Zealand and champion

three-year-old filly in Australia.

Bester was glowing in his praise of the colt. "What attracted me to this colt

was his quality," he explained. "Physically, he's the best yearling I have ever

seen in the Southern Hemisphere. Chiefly I buy on conformation, and this colt

was exceptional. But to also present with the best page in the sale is

extraordinary. Zabeel on Danehill is outstanding, and a very fast mare more to

the point to counter Zabeel's staying influence. It was easy to spend that sort

of money when you know the background the horse has had, and being from

Cambridge Stud, from that family, I had every confidence."

Bester purchased the colt for a small group of Australian owners who race

horses with a number of trainers, though a conditioner has not yet been

selected.

David Ellis, an underbidder on the sale topper, was more successful later on

in the sale when he secured Lot 431 (video), a Redoute's Choice three-quarter

brother to multiple champion Darci Brahma, for the second-highest price of the

day at NZ$1.3 million (US$925,240). The colt, out of Australian Oaks (Aus-G1)

heroine Grand Echezeaux and offered by Pencarrow Stud, will form part of a

syndicate of four colts purchased by Ellis over the past two days.

Ellis was equally enamored with yesterday's top pair. "They were both

outstanding colts prepared by the best studs in the Southern Hemisphere, and it

was impossible for me to split them," Ellis said. "But I'm thrilled to have got

this one. He has the same qualities as Darci Brahma and has been a beautiful

individual since the day he was born."

Ellis added that the competition at Karaka was bruising. "It has been

extremely hard work competing with the Aussies over the last couple of days," he

said. "The sale has been incredibly strong, but we're delighted with our

selection."

The strength of the Premier sale was evidenced by the final figures.

Cumulative average was the second-highest in the sale's history at NZ$183,119,

up 25.7 percent on last year's NZ$145,710. The sale median was NZ$135,000, up 35

percent on last year's NZ$100,000, and the clearance rate climbed steadily to 79

percent, ahead of last year's 77 percent.

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela proclaimed the

Premier sessions a huge success.

"We couldn't be happier with the results of the past two days," Vela said.

"There are a lot of delighted vendors at Karaka tonight who have had their

expectations completely surpassed. The strength of the buying bench has been

thoroughly overwhelming and has demonstrated to us the hot demand there is for

the product we offer here. There's still five days to go, but we are thrilled

with the outcome of the Premier Sale and are very grateful to both buyers and

sellers for their support to post such successful results for the industry."

Selling continues at Karaka on Wednesday with the first of three sessions of

the Select Sale. That is followed by the two-day Festival Yearling Sale on

February 7-8. Follow the action live online at www.nzb.co.nz.