New Zealand (December 2nd, 2009) - The 2010 catalogues for the Karaka Select and Festival Sales are now available online.  These sales follow on from the Premier Sale (1 & 2 February), with the Select Sale running from February 3rd through till the 5th and the Festival Sale  February on 7th & 8th, all combining to form the 2010 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.
The Select Sale has 618 yearlings catalogued in 2010 (down from 640 in 2009), while the Festival Sale numbers are almost identical to 2009 with 520 lots (525 in 2009).

Both the Select and Festival Sales have contributed strongly to the 55 Group 1 winners over the past three seasons, the most of any yearling series in Australasia, with this season bearing more fruit with headline act Monaco Consul (High Chaparral), a 2007 Select Sale graduate, unbeaten in Australia with victories in both the Group 1 Victoria Derby and Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes.
New Zealand’s Horse of the Year Mufhasa (Pentire) was also purchased at Select, along with The Heckler, Kaaptan, Maco’Reilly, Prince Kaapstad, Court Ruler, and Orange County who all won at the elite level last season, and this season Vosne Romanee and Tavistock provided the three-day Sale with two of three legs of the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown.
The Festival Sale has chimed in at the top level also with Altered Image grabbing last season’s Group 1 Levin Classic in course record time, while Gallions Reach won the Group 1 Zabeel Classic before jetting off to compete in the 2009 Melbourne Cup, and in the same colours, Seven Schillings only just got run down in the Group 1 Diamond Stakes.
Up and coming Hong Kong sprinter Tuscan Spirit was also a ‘green book’ purchase, as was 2009 Group 1 Kelt Capital Stakes placed Ginga Dude.
Amongst the entries are half siblings to Group 1 winners The Mighty Lions (Lot 536 by Keeper), Portland Singa (Lot 732 by Fast ‘n’ Famous), and She’s Country (Lot 923 by Scaredee Cat), while half relations to last season’s Group 2 winners Ginga Dude (Lot 914 by Mr Nancho), Bird of Fire (Lot 810 by Handsome Ransom), and Alagant Satin (Lot 1019 by Brilliance) are also catalogued.
The progeny of Group 1 winners Acushla Marie (Lot 827 by Don Eduardo), Creil (Lot 924 by Postponed), Facing the Music (Lot 984 by Fast n Famous), Fayreform (Lot 987 by One Cool Cat), Nimue (Lot 580 by Falkirk), She’s Country (Lot 689 by Tiger Hill), and Staring (Lot 727 by King’s Chapel) will all be sold within the three-day Select Sale.
In Festival, Group 2 winner Focal Point will have her second foal by Volksraad, a filly at Lot 1550, offered, while at Lot 1126, a Hawkeye filly whose siblings include Group 2 Counties Cup winner Kaapeon and multiple Group placed Kaapeon Way, is sure to attract attention.
The dates for the 84th National Yearling Sales Series are as follows:
• Premier Sale: 1 & 2 February
• Select Sale: 3 - 5 February
• Festival Sale: 7 & 8 February

Tags: New Zealand, Yearling Sales
Permalink| Dec 2, 2009

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