A catalogue of more than 1000 horses, some of which will go on to be New Zealand’s next racetrack superstars with Stud Book-defining pedigrees, has been released for the 2025 Karaka yearling sale.
New Zealand Bloodstock on Monday published its two-book offering for the 99th edition of its National Yearling Sale, the source of recent Group 1 winners such as Atishu, Legarto and Savaglee while the NZ suffix is borne by Mr Brightside, Epsom Handicap winner Ceolwulf, Antino and Hong Kong’s elite sprinters Lucky Sweynesse and Ka Ying Rising.
Released just days after conducting its record-breaking Ready to Run Sale, NZB has compiled a 661-Lot Book 1 catalogue to be offered over three days from Sunday, January 26, while 427 yearlings will go under the hammer at Karaka on the outskirts of Auckland at the two-day Book 2 sale on January 29 and 30.
The slightly reduced offering, down from 1124 lots catalogued this year, means the selling schedule has been cut from six to five days.
Hallmark Stud’s Mark Baker will offer a sister to dual Group 1 winner Prowess and this year’s $1.6 million sales-topping filly, the Fairway Thoroughbreds-owned Seychelles, as Lot 564, while Haunui Farm will offer the Savabeel sister to Group 1-winning filly Orchestral (Lot 323).
Curraghmore’s Gordon Cunningham has a draft of 26 yearlings destined for Karaka in January, including a Proisir half-sister to this month’s Group 1 VRC Oaks runner-up Powers Of Opal (Lot 335) and a half-sister to Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Ruthless Dame by Cambridge Stud’s first-season sire Sword Of State (Lot 261).
Inglewood Stud’s Gus Wigley will consign a Per Incanto half-sister to last season’s champion New Zealand two-year-old Velocious (Lot 188) and Rich Hill Stud will offer a Proisir half-sister to Chris Waller’s emerging Castelvecchio three-year-old filly Aeliana who was runner-up in this month’s Group 1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield as Lot 351.
A Tivaci half-sister to Group 1 Empire Rose winner Icebath (Lot 598) and a Snitzel first foal out of Two Illicit (Lot 374) will also be offered. Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor, which raced Group 1 winner Two Illicit, will also offer a Snitzel colt out of Group 2 winner Zayydani (Lot 417).
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A first-crop Noverre colt out of Group 1-winning mare Bonneval will go under the hammer as will a Kia Ora Stud-bred second-crop filly by Golden Slipper winner Farnan out of New Zealand Oaks winner Jennifer Eccles.
“The New Zealand-bred horses are well-respected everywhere around the world as we saw in January this year with the top-priced horse, a very, very well-bred filly and a full-sister to Prowess, and I fully expect worldwide attention for next year’s sale as well,” NZB bloodstock sales manager Kane Jones told The Straight.
“There's just some lovely, beautifully bred fillies with some huge residual value after they perform on the racetrack.”
The catalogue may be stacked with high-profile fillies, but Jones is adamant the 1088-Lot Karaka line-up will also have plenty of yearlings suited to colts syndicates, owners and trainers.
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“There's some lovely fillies with big residual values, but equally there's some lovely colts that I'd expect to go on to make stallions in time,” Jones said.
“There’s yearlings by the champion sires well-represented and also I'm looking forward to the first crop of the first season sires, such as Sword Of State, Noverre, Armory and The Chosen One.”
Traders looking to invest in horses to reoffer at a two-year-old sale or to sell off barrier trials will also be well-catered for, according to Jones.
He expects the vendors, the majority of which enjoyed profitable results at the Ready to Run Sale of two-year-olds where more than $38 million was turned over, to be sourcing new stock at Karaka in January.
The increased optimism in New Zealand’s racing scene, spurred on by the investment of wagering giant Entain into the local industry via the running of the NZ TAB, has further added to Jones’ confidence leading into next year’s sale.
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“Last week was a great week overall and there were some outstanding pinhook results, which just gives those people confidence to go again,” Jones said.
“I fully expect them to be part of the sale and active in buying those similar horses next year.”
NZB sales schedule
Karaka Millions Raceday
Saturday, January 25, at Ellerslie Racecourse
Book 1: Lot 1 – 661
Day One: Sunday, January 26 Lot 1 – 250 from 10am (NZT)
Day Two: Monday, January 27 Lot 251 – 480 from 10am (NZT)
Day Three: Tuesday, January 28 Lot 481 – 661 from 10am (NZT)
Book 2: Lot 661 - 1088
Day One: Wednesday January 29 Lot 662 – 860 from 12pm (NZT)
Day Two: Thursday, January 30 Lot 861 – 1088 from 10am (NZT)
