A No Excuse Needed filly and a Dubawi colt both made $200,000 to top the Day 2 leader-board at the NZB Select Sale on Thursday.

Figures for the Select Sale’s second session held up strongly against last year.  The average price after two days of the three-day sale is $44,690 on a clearance rate of 77%.  That’s just $1,021 below last year while the clearance has improved 4 points.

Palmerston North trainer Lisa Latta bought the No Excuse Needed – Miracle Miss (O’Reilly) filly from Waikato Stud where the sire and damsire are both based.  “I loved her right from the first minute,” Latta said.  “We did miss out on a few fillies in the Premier Sale but she was the pick of the Select fillies.

“The nice horses are reaching their value,” Latta added.  “I’m happy with the way it’s gone and I will be back again tomorrow.”

The top price was matched by the Dubawi – Mlada (Danasinga) colt purchased by Hong Kong based Willie Leung.  “Dubawi is doing so well in Hong Kong, Europe and the southern hemisphere which is why we wanted to get one,” commented Leung.

“This is probably the last Dubawi crop in the southern hemisphere and this colt looks strong and athletic.  He’s from a good family so we were prepared to pay a bit more.

The third top price of the day was shared by a trio of lots that fetched $160,000.  An O’Reilly filly from Stravinsky mare Holiday in Goa went to New Zealand trainer Roger James.  The Cambridge conditioner bought her for Kevin Hickman of Valachi Downs.

They combined to win the G2 Championship Stakes with of O’Reilly filly Silent Achiever on New Year’s Day and she will attempt to add the G3 Waikato Guineas this Saturday.

The Darci Brahma colt offered by Phoenix Park matched that price when secured by Andy Williams of Worldwide Bloodstock.  The colt is from six-time winning Stravinsky mare Lady Classique.

The Oaks Stud’s Sakhee’s Secret – Miss Smugg (Volksraad) colt also realised $160,000 to the bid of Aquanita Racing in Victoria.  The dam won at Eagle Farm and has already foaled five winners.

Selling continues on Friday with the third and final session of the 2012 Karaka Select Sale starting with Lot 931.  The NZB Sales Series will resume at Karaka on Sunday with the one-day Festival Sale.