New Zealand Bloodstock's 2012 Select Sale concluded today at Karaka, with the Pentire colt at Lot 1096 providing a late highlight of the successful three-day Sale.
Out of the Zabeel mare Sunshine Gold, the colt from Haunui Farm was secured by Hawkes Racing, adding to the stable's total haul of seven yearlings bought from Karaka this week for $1.4 million.
Commenting on their sale-topper, Wayne Hawkes says they were initially attracted to the pedigree by a close relative that they had previously purchased at Karaka.
"We bought Luck of Smiling - the half-brother by Elusive City - for $40,000 as a yearling and he went up to Macau and he's 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 coming to New Zealand and buying those kiwi staying horses and are really happy with what was there this year."
Hawkes Racing, represented at Karaka by John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes, paid a top price of $420,000 for the Zabeel colt at Lot 152 of the Premier Sale. This contributed to the team ending up in the top five leading buyers for the week.
Pentire (pictured) has provided three of the top five prices of the Select Sale. The other two were the $170,000 filly purchased by John White Bloodstock for his Australian client at Lot 724 , and the $170,000 colt bought by Cranbourne trainer Robbie Laing at Lot 1120 .
Currently third on the NZ Sires Premiership, the Rich Hill Stud resident sire was represented most recently by the Group 1 Thorndon Mile winner Say No More last Saturday, in addition to multiple Group 1 successes by former NZ Horse of the Year Mufhasa.
Pentire completes the Select Sale as the third leading sire by average with 16 sold for an average of $79,219, behind Dubawi's average of $88,333 with just three lots in the Sale, and High Chaparral's eight at $87,750.
With 620 lots catalogued for the 2012 Select Sale across the past three days, the results have held up strongly to end up just ahead of last year's Sale. A total of 415 horses have sold for $19,114,500 (up from $19,107,000 for 418 sold in 2011) at an average of $46,059 (up from $45,711 in 2011) and a clearance of 74% (up from 73% in 2011).
New Zealand Bloodstock Co-Managing Director Petrea Vela is pleased with how figures have held up against last year.
"After a particularly strong session yesterday (Thursday) we were prepared for today to be a quieter day but to have exceeded last year's aggregate and average while maintaining a stronger clearance rate is a great result. 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 final day on Sunday."
The leading buyer for the Select Sale is John Chalmers Bloodstock from Western Australia with eight purchases for $570,500, including his sole purchase today of Lot 1034 , the Falkirk colt bought for $35,000. Chalmers also purchased 13 yearlings from the Premier Sale earlier in the week to bring his tally to 21 yearlings for $2,930,500 at an average of $139,584 including a top price of $400,000 paid for the High Chaparral colt at Lot 69 .
Just behind him on the buyers list was New Zealand trainer Trent Busuttin who is enjoying a surge in support following his successful season with Group 1 VRC Derby winner Sangster. He purchased a total of 11 yearlings at this session for $550,000 at an average of $50,000, including a top price of $115,000 paid for the colt by Thorn Park at Lot 543 .
Rich Hill Stud's freshman sire, Sir Percy (Mark of Esteem), is the leading first season sire of the Select Sale with eight entries sold for an average of $49,625. At $120,000 today's Lot 963 was the top price of the Sale for the Group 1 English Derby winner. Queensland agent John Foote paid the top price of the week for Sir Percy's progeny when Lot 458 of the Premier Sale was knocked down to him for $150,000.
Heading the vendor tables by average for the Select Sale has been Mark & Shelley Treweek's Lyndhurst Farm who sold yesterday's $200,000 Dubawi colt at Lot 912 . In total the stud has sold nine entries for an average of $79,056.
With 25 horses sold, including the top lot, Haunui Farm is the leading vendor by aggregate at this session with turnover of $1,477,000 at an average of $59,080.
For detailed statistics go to the Breednet Sales Centre.
Selling will resume at Karaka on Sunday (at 10am) with the one-day Festival Sale, the sixth and final day of the 2012 National Yearling Sales Series.
2012 Select Yearling Sale Statistics
