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A filly by champion sire Savabeel set the benchmark on Day 3 of the 2019 National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka on Tuesday.

Bloodstock agent Dean Hawthorne, acting for Jonathan Munz and his GSA Bloodstock operation in Australia, outbid David Ellis of Te Akau Racing to secured the Pencarrow Stud filly for $NZ800,000.

The filly is from the classy imported Galileo mare Scintillula, winner of the G3 Meld Stakes in Ireland and G1 placed in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. She also finished fourth in the G1 Irish Oaks.

“I’ve just been in Europe and looked at those big families, especially the Galileo blood,” said Hawthorne who was pleasantly surprised to see the filly available for auction this year.

“We are being a bit selective now as we have numbers around us, but it’s not always that you come along to see a pedigree like that with a type to match.”

Hawthorne expressed pleasant surprise that the filly had been available for sale at the auction this year.

“We know what’s happening in the family as I think the mare has been covered by Zoustar,” he said.

“When you buy off Peter Vela, he mates his mares beautifully well, so to be honest I was surprised she was here.”

Hawthorne was quickly back amongst the fray just minutes later as he went to $400,000 to secure Lot 390, a Tavistock filly from outstanding racemare Seachange from the Oaks Stud draft.

Seachange, the dam of three winners including stakes-placed Zabeel gelding Divan, proved herself as one of New Zealand’s greatest race mares with seven G1 wins among her 14 career victories.

Key figures at the close of trading saw the aggregate reach $NZ52,894,500, the average $NZ139,933 and the median $NZ100,000. The clearance held close to that of Day 3 in 2018 (79%), settling at 76%.

I Am Invincible is the leading sire by average (three or more sold) with three lots selling at an average of $353,333, followed by Zoustar with four lots at an average of $326,250 and Savabeel with 38 lots at an average of $298,684.

The strength of the Australian buying bench continued into Day 3 while NZB’s Director of Business Development, Mike Kneebone, was also pleased by the presence from Asia.

“It’s been great to see so many buyers from Australia, China and Hong Kong here making the most of what’s on offer," he said.

“Some good buys went to the likes of Peter Moody, Paddy Payne, Chris Waller, Aquis Farm, Trent Busuttin and Suman Hedge.

“Michael Wallace secured a couple for China Horse Club and Michael Freedman. The Tankards, John Foote, Stuart Hale and Alastair Donald have also bought today for Hong Kong clients.

“They are all nice horses heading offshore in time to come.”

Multiple buyers have backed their judgment to secure yearlings at ‘value’ prices since selling opened.

2019 Book 1 Karaka Yearling Sale

Statistics – Day 3