The NZ Bloodstock National weanling sale starting on May 2 is packed with potential for pin-hookers.
Last year’s weanlings averaged just $11,388 so there’s a wealth of opportunity for those astute buyers looking to pin-hook youngsters for the 2012 yearling sales.
Weanlings sold through the Karaka sale ring are proving that they can be very profitable investments. At this year’s Karaka yearling sales, the most successful pin-hooks were those purchased from the NZB weanling session the previous year.
Among the pin-hooking highlights at Karaka 2011 was the Iffraaj colt (Lot 367) which was bought for $40,000 by Anistay Lodge from the 2010 May Sale. The colt was then purchased at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale by the Melbourne Cup winning trainer Mark Kavanagh for $300,000.
Iffraaj has a strong draft of 12 weanlings in the forthcoming sale including Lot 366, the half-brother to the stakes placed The Lucky Steed (Fantastic Light).
Gordon Cunningham’s Curraghmore Stud has had great success at the Karaka weanling session, topping the leading vendors table for the past two years in a row, including providing last year’s top two prices and extremely successful pin-hooks.
Curraghmore has a strong draft of 13 weanlings in the 2011 May Sale, among them a Pentire a three-quarter-sister to Group 1 winner Zarita (Lot 219).
Other successful pin-hooks in 2010 was Esker Lodge’s Pentire – Powergame colt which sold for $70,000. The colt was later bought by Mulcaster Bloodstock for $160,000 from Ascot Farm.
The 2011 May Sale will see Esker Lodge offer a High Chaparral colt from the Peintre Celebre mare Bois de Boulogne (Lot 135). He is one of 6 entries by the Coolmore sure-sire. Esker Lodge also has weanlings by such sires as Keeper, Elusive City and Pentire as part of its 13 entries.
Other weanling highlights at the forthcoming May Sale include:
Lot 33 from Dormello Stud. Colt out of the Danzig mare Shynzi. By the Cox Plate winning son of Zabeel in Savabeel and is a three-quarter-brother to the Cox Plate winner Maldivian.
Lot 127 from Rich Hill Stud Colt by the Epsom Derby winning first season sire Sir Percy from the Royal Academy mare Beinnale, a half-sister to the Group 1 winner Des’s Dream (Dahar) and from the Family of Natural Blitz (Dehere).
Lot 222 from Curraghmore Stud. Colt by Stravinsky from the English mare Glitterati (Observatory), a three-quarter-sister to the stakes winner Star Cluster (Observatory) and a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Trick of Light (Dansili).
Lot 315 from Monovale Farm. Colt by Encosta de Lago from Miss Opera (Paris Opera), a half-brother to Group 1 hero Sir Slick (Volksraad).
Other leading sires represented include Canny Lad, Captain Rio, Darci Brahma, Don Eduardo, Elusive City, Keeper, Pentire, Perfectly Ready, Pins, Postponed, Stravinsky, Towkay and Volksraad.
The 2011 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale will be held at the Karaka Sale Complex from May 2 to 4. For a catalogue please contact NZB on 0011 649 298 0055 or reception@nzb.co.nz.