New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2023 National Weanling and Broodmare Sale takes place June 16, featuring 170 weanlings (after withdrawals).
It will be a full day of trade and the weanling numbers alone represent an increase of 60 lots compared with the 2022 sale which turned out to be quite buoyant.
Broodmares, which haven’t been part of this sale since 2019, make up a further 65 lots.
While the business of trading and selling is paramount, the sale also serves as an opportunity to discuss the state of the industry and talk to stud masters about stallion bookings for the upcoming season.
Proisir to Lead
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It’s safe to say that the 11 weanlings by Rich Hill Stud’s Proisir (Choisir) will command the most attention, and why not? He has had a phenomenal season. There would appear to be little between his star Australian group 1 fillies, Prowess and Legarto, and the running of the Karaka Million 3YO Classic left an answered question as to which is superior. However, as advertisements go, they have provided the stallion with a great foundation. Bidding is likely to be very keen.
In particular, Haunui Farm are to offer several Proisir lots which look to have good upside, especially for traders, starting with Lot 33, a colt out of a Savabeel (Zabeel) half sister to the dam of 2021 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas (G1) victor, Noverre (Savabeel).
Lot 125, a colt, is from a Medaglia D’Oro (El Prado) daughter of Veloce Bella (Volksraad), a fine racemare who scored at group 1 level in the International Stakes (G1) and added five further group races among her 12 wins.
Lot 137 is an opportunity to invest in one of New Zealand’s best families. The filly is from a half sister of the dam of Australian Derby (G1) winner Jon Snow (Iffraaj) and represents Richard Moore’s wonderful Soliloquy (Sobig) line.
From HGT Bloodstock, Feilding, is Lot 56, a filly from a Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) half sister to Tourbillon Diamond (Olympic Glory ), a dual group 3 winner and group 1-placed in Hong Kong.
Cambria Park in Pukekohe will offer Lot 175, a colt from the talented mare Tip The Wink (Stravinsky), a two-time listed winner who finished third in the 2011 Railway Stakes (G1).
Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto (Street Cry) has five lots entered and the stud will offer Lot 173, a filly from Tinkalicious (Nadeem), the winner of six including the Cuddle Stakes (G3).
Lot 99 is a colt from a half sister to the dams of eight stakes winners and is a grandson of group 2 winner Dopff (Tights). This is, of course, Haunui Farm’s prolific Foxona (Foxbridge) family.
Highline Thoroughbreds, who sold Proisir’s group 1 winners Legarto and Dark Destroyer, have two weanlings by the champion sire elect within their five-strong draft. Lot 67, a filly, is the first living foal out of dual winner Jazamour (Azamour), while Lot 89 is a colt out of Mifflin (Street Cry), herself a half sister to stakes winners Gamay (Pierro ) and Meidung (Bernardini), as well as the dam of Australian group 1 placegetter Dirty Work (Written Tycoon).
“Last year was fantastic for us, and we’ve brought up a really nice draft of weanlings again for the sale this year,” said Eva Heron, who along with her husband Cam runs Highline Thoroughbreds. “I can’t wait to see how they all go on Friday.”
“Proisir is an amazing stallion. He’s achieved so much this season and still seems to be on the up and up. We’re delighted to have two very, very nice weanlings by Proisir in our draft and of course we have sold a top-liner by the sire in Legarto ($90,000 Karaka Book 2 Yearling Sale in 2021).
“We also have a lovely Vadamos from a quality international family (Lot 28). I really, really like him. And then the other two weanlings in our draft are two really nice ones by Embellish. So I’m really rapt with our draft right across the board.”
Novara Park’s Sweynesse (Lonhro) is riding high via the deeds of perhaps the world’s leading sprinter, Lucky Sweynesse. The stallion is represented by three lots and all have good credentials. Lot 15, a colt, is from dual Ellerslie winner and twice group 3-placed mare Bella Court (Per Incanto).
The Sweynesse colt consigned as Lot 15 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling and Broodmare Sale
Lot 75 is a granddaughter of Yorkshire Oaks (G1) winner Key Change (Darshaan), while Lot 122 is from a half sister to NZ Bloodstock filly of the year, the classic-placed Dijon Bleu (Burgundy) whose six wins included three at group level.
Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore is consigning six weanlings for the 2023 edition of the sale, including a colt and a filly, a close relative of group 1 winner Lion’s Roar, by Contributer (High Chaparral), as well as the colt by Sweynesse out of Bella Court.
New Kids on the Block
The annual weanling sale is always interesting as we get a first look at the progeny of first crop sires.
This year, Waikato Stud’s Banquo (Written Tycoon), Windsor Park Stud’s Circus Maximus (Galileo), Cambridge Stud’s Hello Youmzain (Kodiac ) and Novara Park’s King of Comedy (Kingman ) fit that category.
Banquo, a son of leading sire Written Tycoon, was a listed winner at Flemington and twice group 2-placed. His sister, Booker, was a fine sprinting mare who landed the Oakleigh Plate (G1).
Banquo will be represented by five lots. Lot 98, a colt, is from a half sister to listed winner and classic-placed Chambord (Zabeel). His grandam is a half sister to Hong Kong group 1 winner, The Duke (Danehill) and to Laravissante (O’Reilly), the dam of Hong Kong Sprint (G1) winner Sky Field (Deep Field). This is also the family of current sprint star Think About It (So You Think ).
Lot 109, a colt, is from a sister to group 3 winner Showbeel (Savabeel) and whose third dam is dual group 1 winner Showella (Lord Ballina) and a direct descendant of the champion Show Gate (Gate Keeper).
With four lots is triple group 1 winner (at Royal Ascot and Longchamp), Circus Maximus, a son of all-conquering sire Galileo (Sadler’s Wells). Lot 141, a colt, has plenty of appeal being close relative to multiple listed Perth winner Angelic Miss (Savabeel). The colt represents a foundation Windsor Park Stud family that produced the top class miler Golden Sword (Kaapstad).
Hello Youmzain was a high class sprinter who landed two of the UK’s premier sprints including the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot. He is represented by five lots including Lot 17, a filly and first foal of the well-performed Belle Fascino (Per Incanto). The mare bagged ten wins including two group 3s at Riccarton and Wingatui and was six-times stakes-placed.