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A day after they won their first million dollar race, Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s first yearling draft delivered a host of highlights during the opening session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2019 National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.

The Lindsays race Probabeel, a big winner of Saturday’s Karaka 2YO Million at Ellerslie

The two highest-priced yearlings of the day were both prepared by Cambridge Stud, the famous Waikato-based nursery the Lindsays purchased from Sir Patrick Hogan last year.

Cambridge Stud offered the only Redoute’s Choice colt in the sale. He fetched $NZ800,000.

A Zoustar filly from Cambridge was knocked down for $NZ600,000.

Australian combination Aquis Farm and James Bester Bloodstock took the Redoute’s Choice colt while powerhouse Godolphin secured the Zoustar filly.

The Redoute’s Choice colt is out of the G1 winner Griante (Good Journey) while the Zoustar filly filly’s dam is a winning daughter of More Than Ready and a granddaughter of G1 Railway Handicap winner Imananabaa (Anabaa).

The third highest lot of the day went to De Burgh Equine and Shadwell. They teamed up to secure an I Am Invincible filly on account of Little Avondale Stud for $NZ500,000.

Little Avondale is leading the vendors table by average (three or more sold) with three yearlings sold at an average of $NZ263,333.

Waikato Stud are the leading vendor by aggregate selling 14 yearlings for $NZ3,150,000.

Waikato Stud sires were to the fore with Pins leading the average table (three or more sold) with three sold at an average of $NZ300,000 and champion New Zealand sire Savabeel close behind with seven lots sold at an average of $NZ254,286.

Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis secured 12 lots, two in partnership with Fortuna Syndicate, taking his total spend at the end of Day 1 to $NZ2,282,500 which is more than double his day one spend last year.

“I would have been pleased if we had matched last year’s figures and we weren’t too far off,” commented NZB Managing Director Andrew Seabrook.

“The median was steady and average was up on Day 1 last year. We’re expecting the clearance will improve over the coming days.”

From the first 100 yearlings offered on Day 1 a total of 70 lots were sold with the average closing at $NZ155,607 and the median $NZ110,000.

The day’s aggregate reached $NZ10,892,500, only slightly behind 2018 figures.

Prominent buyers from Hong Kong included the Hong Kong Jockey Club and agent John Foote who secured three lots for $370,000 for Hong Kong clients.

Australian buyers included Chris Waller, Mick Price, Ciaron Maher, Bjorn Baker and Simon Zahra.

2019 NZB National Yearling Sale

Book 1 Statistics – Day 1