NZ Bloodstock’s 2012 Select Sale concluded on Friday with a Pentire colt providing a late highlight at Karaka.

Catalogued as Lot 1096, the colt from Haunui Farm topped trade over the three sessions at $230,000.  He is out of the Zabeel mare Sunshine Gold and was secured by Hawkes Racing.  The stable’s haul of seven yearlings at Karaka this week totalled $1.40 million.

“We were initially attracted to the pedigree by his half-brother Luck of Smiling,” Wayne Hawkes said.  “He was by Elusive City and cost us $40,000 as a yearling.  He went up to Macau and is about the fourth best horse up there.

“Dad took one look at this colt and said we had to have him.  He’s a better sort than Luck of Smiling and he’s by a proven sire in Pentire so we were sold.

“We like the Pentires – we bought the highest priced Pentire in New Zealand last year for $520,000, out of Platinum Blonde, and we really like the way he is coming along.  We always love buying Kiwi horses and are really happy with what was here this year.”

Hawkes Racing had paid $420,000 for a Zabeel colt at the Premier Sale. This contributed to the team ending up in the Top 5 leading buyers for the week.

Pentire provided three of the Top 5 prices of the Select Sale.  The other two were the $170,000 filly purchased by John White Bloodstock (Lot 724) and the $170,000 colt bought by Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing (Lot 1120).

The Rich Hill Stud resident is currently third on the NZ Sires Premiership and was represented most recently by the Group 1 Thorndon Mile winner Say No More.

Rich Hill Stud’s Sir Percy (Mark of Esteem) was the leading first season sire of the Select Sale with 8 lots averaging of $49,625.  He reached a Select Sale high on Friday when leading agent John Foote paid $120,000 for the colt out of Perceptible (Lot 963).

The 2012 Select Sale saw 415 horses change hands at an average of $46,059.  The average was up $350 from last year and the clearance rate improved one point to 74%.

New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela is pleased with how figures have held up against last year.  “After a particularly strong session on Thursday, we were prepared for a quieter day but we exceeded last year’s aggregate and average while maintaining a stronger clearance rate.

“Selling felt solid right throughout the three days with a good number of international buyers staying on to compete with the locals.  Overall, I think we can be very satisfied with how the week has gone given the current climate.  I hope we can carry some of that momentum into our Festival Sale on Sunday.”