A downturn in the Karaka Select sales at the 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Sales has resulted in the company introducing a new format for Karaka in 2018.
NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook released details of the changes and there is little doubt the Book I catalogue, which will feature 700 yearlings, will attract a bigger influx of international buyers to Karaka.
![Off and running: Former star racetrack performer Epaulette has his first European winner.](/web/20170501233923im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/v/t/i/k/4/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gvtisq.png/1493259948762.jpg)
They will begin the first day of selling on a Sunday night (January 28) with around 100 yearlings to be offered. Seabrook said in his media release: "I'm absolutely certain this new structure will be a success," Seabrook said. "Selling 100 horses on Sunday night gets more horses in front of buyers early in the week."
The lack of buying power by domestic players in February for the Select sale was a major factor in New Zealand Bloodstock making the changes to its Karaka format.
Locals have historically underpinned the middle market but the 2017 sale suffered a considerable drop in turnover with 437 yearlings selling at the Select sessions for $NZ20,679,500 for a $NZ47,363 average.
This was in contrast to the corresponding sale in 2016 when 456 lots netted $NZ26,326,700 and an average of $NZ57,734.
As a result the overall investment at Karaka suffered and Seabrook believes international buyers need a reason to stay in New Zealand longer by giving them even more horses to look at on the sale ground. Plans are to have 700 listed in Book I compared with the 465 catalogued in this year's Premier sales.
Regular big spenders at the Select sale have been New Zealanders Paul Moroney and Graeme Rogerson, but this year they secured double figure numbers but for half their spend in 2016.
The same applied to Queenslander John Foote, who finished with 13 purchases – three in conjunction with Darren Weir – though he felt the sale was a solid one.
However, the New Zealand Bloodstock team decided to bring forth the innovations for 2018 to combat the strength of the Australian bloodstock companies – William Inglis and Magic Millions.
The changes made by NZB are:
* The National Yearling Sales Series will now be named Book I, Book II and Book III.
* Selling to commence from Book I from 5pm on Sunday, January 28, and will run through to Wednesday.
* Book II horses will be sold on Thursday and Friday of the sales week.
* Book III horses will remain on the final sale day of Karaka 2018.
* The Karaka Million twilight meeting will be held on Saturday, January 27. The meeting will include the $NZ1m Karaka Million 2YO, $NZ1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic and four group 1 races.Â
* The Karaka Stayers Cup will now be run on Sunday, January 14, and will remain a Karaka Series feature race.
FOOTNOTE: Godolphin's John Ferguson made his first trip to Karaka this year and told the management team he was greatly impressed with the set-up of the complex and would be returning.
Irish success
New Zealand's leading buyer at Karaka for the past 12 years, David Ellis and his Te Akau syndication team, celebrated a great win by a son of Fastnet Rock at Navan in Ireland last Sunday.
Torcedor indicated he is going to be hard to topple in future staying races in Europe after beating the Aidan O'Brien-trained Order Of St George in the group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes (2800 metres) by a length and a half.
Torcedor was purchased by Te Akau at the Arqana Yearling Sales for €70,000 ($101,000) with Sir Patrick Hogan, Sir Peter Vela and trainer Laurie Laxon sharing in the ownership.
The galloper has won four races and placed on four occasions with his Sunday success the first in black-type company.
Torcedor had won first-up at Leopardstown on April 5 and will now step up to stronger class. The runner-up and favourite Order Of St George is part-owned by Melbourne-based Lloyd Williams.
Earning his stripes
Darley shuttle sire Epaulette, a multiple group 1-winning son of Commands, had his first winner in Europe on Tuesday with his daughter Fas Le Fios scoring at Maisons-Laffitte.
Epaulette stood his first term at Coolmore's Irish base and then at Coolmore in the Hunter Valley covering in excess of 400 mares in his first season. He served 116 mares last year and his fee this year will be $22,000 including GST.
Magic numbers
The Magic Millions has finalised catalogue numbers for the national weanling and broodmare sales, with the huge response by vendors resulting in an extended number of selling days between May 25 and June 7.
A total of 554 weanlings will sell over two days on Thursday, May 25, and Friday, May 26, with 1055 broodmares selling over four days from May 30 through to June 2.
The catalogue for the yearling sales, which will be conducted on June 6 and 7, will be finalised by next Monday.
Fighting fit
The VOBIS gold yearling sale at Oaklands in Melbourne on Sunday brought a new sales-topper to the fore after Oliver Koolman bought a Fighting Sun colt for $110,000 on behalf of his father's company, Anton Koolman Bloodstock.
The colt was a striking individual, according to Oliver Koolman, and the purchase was a solid result for the Sun Stud operation which stands Fighting Sun, a son of Northern Meteor which won at his only two juvenile starts before suffering a race career-ending injury.
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