Aussie Buyers Flex Muscle at NZ Yearling Sales

Australian buyers left their footprint in no uncertain fashion on the NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales at Auckland and Christchurch, playing a starring role across both venues and reinforcing the depth of trans-Tasman demand for elite New Zealand bloodstock.

Buyers from across the Tasman secured 26 of the 207 lots to change hands over the two-day sale, investing a remarkable $2,084,500 in the cream of the New Zealand crop. Their presence was strong, calculated and ultimately decisive at the top end of the market.

Leading the charge was leviathan Leeton owner Mick Boots, who stamped his authority on proceedings with a substantial $965,000 outlay on six yearlings, five of them by Captaintreacherous.

Boots paid the second-highest price at Karaka, $210,000, for the Captaintreacherous colt out of the champion racemare Adore Me, consigned by Woodlands Stud.

Woodend Beach trainer Bob Butt was quick to underline the colt’s appeal.

“He was No. 1 in the sale. We are very lucky to get him. He’s got the potential, if he’s a good racehorse, to be a stallion. He’s a very strong colt that’s got a bit of scope to him.”

Boots’ other Karaka purchases included the Captaintreacherous colt out of six-time Group 1 winner Elle Mac for $140,000 and the Captaintreacherous filly from Dina Brown at $95,000, both offered through the Breckon Farms draft.

He then doubled down at Christchurch, securing both equal second-highest lots at $180,000. One was a Captaintreacherous colt out of Delight In Me, the other a brother to Captain’s Mistress and a half-brother to Merlin. Both were presented by Cust horsewoman Laura Smith, who also consigned the Bettor’s Delight colt from Jewels winner Supersonic Miss, knocked down to Boots for $160,000.

Another major player from the Australian brigade was leading Perth trainer Greg Bond, who secured six yearlings for $310,000 across the two sales.

Bond purchased three colts and a filly at Karaka and added a colt and filly at Christchurch, his biggest outlay being $85,000 for the Downbytheseaside colt out of Delightful Princess from the Breckon Farms draft.

“Matthew White, who spent a lot of time in Perth, had a good look at them for us. We got the ones we wanted,” Bond said.

“They will stay there with Matthew and do all their education and at this stage do their early racing there.”

Leading Queensland owner-breeder Kevin Seymour was also prominent, securing the equal highest-priced filly at Karaka at $200,000. The filly is a full sister to last season’s NZ Sires’ Stakes 2YO champion Freeze Frame and was offered by Woodlands Stud. She will be trained in Queensland by Grant Dixon.

Melbourne businessman Jim Connelly, a long-time investor in New Zealand trotting stock and buyer of the likes of Skyvalley, Kyvalley Road, Kyvalley Hotspur and Kyvalley Ray, again went to the well.

Connelly spent $260,000 on two royally bred trotting colts. At Karaka he paid $150,000 for a colt by the champion American sire Walner from the cups-winning mare Hopeful Beauty, consigned by Pat Driscoll’s Yabby Dam Farms. At Christchurch he secured the Volstead colt out of Our Golden Kenny, offered by Ardgowan Lodge, for $110,000. Both were the highest-priced trotting colts at their respective sales.

“I only really went to buy one. They’re the two that I had marked and I ended up buying both of them,” Connelly said.

“They’ll follow the same road that Kyvalley Ray followed. They’ll come back to Victoria, Brent Lilley will break them in and they’ll race next year and if either of them are good enough they’ll go back to NZ.”

Scott Whitton, of Tumby Park fame, invested $30,000 at Auckland for the Stay Hungry colt out of the Art Major mare Taylor Bromac.

“He’s athletic, he looks like an early going type and he’s from the Breckon draft. They always deal in quality. He was at the right price,” Whitton said.

“Zac Butcher is going to break him in and Matt White will train him provided the colt ticks the right boxes.”

The Newcastle-based Goozdolphin Racing, managed by Martin Goadsby, secured three fillies for $91,000, headed by the Stay Hungry filly out of Splendid Bet at $55,000.

Trainer Clayton Harmey explained the attraction.

“Martin thinks he got a bargain with the Stay Hungry filly. If it was a Bettor’s Delight or a Captaintreacherous it would have went for a lot more.

“Martin loves buying the fillies for their dual purpose. He put 15 mares in foal this year.”

Well-known Sydneysider Mick Harvey, breeder-owner of reigning NZ Cup champion Kingman, secured the Captaintreacherous filly out of Linda Lovegrace for $50,000 at Karaka.

“From the moment I saw her, I thought she was a standout. She’s a very correct filly with plenty of quality and a terrific walker – exactly what you look for in a young horse,” Harvey said.

“She’s by Captaintreacherous, who is an outstanding sire, and she really presents as the complete package physically.

“Linda Lovegrace herself was a top mare, winning at Group 1 level, and she comes from a strong family. I actually bought Linda Lovegrace a year ago from Breckon Farms.

“Breckon retained the Captaintreacherous filly and brought her through this sale. She was simply too good to let go!”

Harvey confirmed the filly will remain in New Zealand for the immediate future.

“She’ll stay in NZ for the time being. It’s been a good recipe for me in the past. I’ll assess her once she has been broken in and had a few workouts, and then decide which way to go.”

Harvey, who recently took over ownership of the acclaimed Harnesslink website, described the Australian presence as emphatic.

“They were very strong and very active. There’s no doubt they liked what they saw, and that was reflected in the level of buying.”

Former New Zealand harness broker Stu Valentine, now based in Queensland, secured two fillies for clients at Karaka. One was by Tall Dark Stranger from Just A Dream for $35,000 and the other by Downbytheseaside from Dolce Vita for $25,000.

Leading Victorian freelance reinsman Nathan Jack invested $50,000 in an E L Titan colt out of the Vicbred and Breeders Crown champion Reina Danzante, one of the Yabby Dam Farms offerings.

Other Australian buyers included Dean Shannon of Montana Park, Queensland, who secured the Captain Crunch colt out of Wanta Denario for $42,500, and prominent Melbourne owner Jean Feiss, who paid $21,000 for the Pebble Beach half-sister to last season’s Sires’ Stakes 2YO finalist War Cry.

Across both venues, the message was unmistakable. Australian investors came with purpose, targeted the elite pedigrees and were prepared to compete hard for the right article.

Their influence not only buoyed the aggregate but reinforced the enduring appeal of New Zealand-bred Standardbreds on the global stage.