Coolmore champion Encosta de Lago topped Day 1 at the NZ Bloodstock’s National Sale at Karaka on Monday with the last lot of the session.  His colt from winning Danehill mare Breeze Hill (Lot 300) fetched $220,000 to the bid of Bruce and Maureen Harvey of Ascot Farm.

Offered by Curraghmore Stud, the colt’s dam is a half-sister to Group winners Dr Devious and Shinko King and was pinhooked for the NZB National yearling sales in January 2011.  “It’s not often that you get a horse that with sort of pedigree coming up at the weanling sale here so we were eager to get him,” Bruce Harvey said.  “He’s a lovely horse and is a promising addition to our yearling draft.”

Cambridge Stud’s evergreen champion Zabeel shows no sign of fading from the spotlight and his filly from stakes placed Danzero mare Primera Dama (Lot 125) was next on the leader-board.  She was also offered by Curraghmore and cost $200,000 to the bid of Marcus Corban Bloodstock.  “She’s a really nice type of filly,” commented Marcus.  “She will come home to Cambridge Stud and we’ll see how she progresses before making any plans.”

Rich Hill Stud resident sire Pentire provided three of the top five lots on Day 1  The sire of G1 Doncaster Mile winner Rangirangdoo and NZ Horse of the Year Mufhasa had a colt from Stretto sell for $130,000 to Beamish Bloodstock.

The first 300 of the 463 weanlings catalogued averaged $11,529 which is 28% ahead of last year’s final figure.  The clearance rate on Day 1 was 74%.

Tuesday’s session comprises a further 163 weanlings followed by 136 broodmares.   Wednesday will see the conclusion of the broodmare session, followed by yearlings, two-year-olds, unraced stock, racehorses, stallion shares and the supplementary entries.