As the hammer fell on the final run of NZB’s 2018 Ready to Run Sale of Two-Year-Olds, continued demand was evident for the progeny of leading New Zealand sires Savabeel and Tavistock.
The aggregate at the close of selling reached $24,325,500 for 252 horses sold, while the average reached $96,530 and the clearance rate settled at 68%. Overall, results were back on last year’s Australasian record-breaking Sale.
NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook commented on the Sale.
“The results have been a little bit disappointing given the results over the last 12 months with the success of Ready to Run Sale graduates in the jurisdictions of Asia and Australia.
“The late announcement of stakes decreases in Singapore, an increase in Australians buying in Europe in recent months, and the status of the New Zealand industry are a few factors that have worked against us.
“In saying that, I was encouraged by the level of investment made by Chinese buyers at the Sale.”
In the late afternoon of Day 2, Mr Lang Lin of Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Group secured the top price of the day, and the overall Sale, when he went to $525,000 to secure Lot 432, a colt by Savabeel from the draft of Dormello Stud.
“Our aim is to buy the best, not just in-terms of racing in New Zealand, but we are also looking to the future for breeding and selling,” commented Mr Lang.
“He will be heading to Murray Baker’s to train and race, and we’ll be looking at a breeding career with him in the future.”
Dormello Stud were the leading vendor by average with three lots sold at an average of $203,667.
Another two Savabeel colts sold on Day 1, Ohukia Lodge’s Lot 84 and Lot 127, for the second-highest equal price of the Sale at $500,000.
Savabeel, who last season made another clean sweep of the New Zealand stallion awards, was the leading sire by both average (three or more sold) and aggregate at the close of selling. Savabeel provided the top four lots, and with a total of 11 lots sold achieved an average of $313,182 and an aggregate of $3,445,000.
There were 11 horses who reached a figure of $300,000 or more and five of those were knocked down to the bid of Hong Kong-based buyers.
Hong Kong purchased 41 lots for total receipts of $7,125,000 with Ricky Yiu contributing to that spend with five lots purchased for $745,000 in receipts, including a Per Incanto colt at Lot 140 purchased for $230,000.
For the third consecutive year, the overall leading buyer was Te Akau Racing Principal David Ellis. Among his eight purchases was Lot 137, a son of Savabeel, who made $440,000 and contributed to his total spend of $1,302,500.
The leading vendor by aggregate was Riversley Park who sold 18 horses for an aggregate of $2,911,000, including Lot 198 (a colt by Tavistock) and Lot 238 (a colt by Exceed and Excel) who each made $400,000 destined for Australia and Hong Kong respectively.
Full results from this week’s 2018 Ready to Run Sale can be viewed online.
Reposted from NZB https://www.nzb.co.nz/news.cfm?content_id=183056