An exciting group of young stallions on both sides of the Tasman are starting to really find their groove, and demand for their progeny is only going to grow in the months and seasons ahead. With that in mind, there could be no better time for buyers to secure their yearlings than at Karaka 2023.
New Zealand-based sires
ALMANZOR
When Almanzor arrived at Cambridge Stud for his first season in 2018, he brought some of the best racetrack credentials of any New Zealand shuttle stallion in recent memory. The son of Wootton Bassett had won eight of his 11 starts, including a Group One treble of the highest class during his three-year-old season – the Prix du Jockey Club (2100m), Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) and British Champion Stakes (2000m).
The resulting expectation for his stallion career left a lot to live up to, but Almanzor has made an outstanding start. He was New Zealand’s leading first-season sire and leading sire of two-year-olds for the 2021-22, with Dynastic (NZ) capturing the $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) – making Almanzor the first stallion in a decade to produce a Karaka Million winner from his first crop.
The spring of 2022-23 has produced more of the same, headed by an outstanding first Group One triumph courtesy of Manzoice in the Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. Almanzor heads Australia’s second-season sires’ standings.
Almanzor’s yearlings have already sold for up to $675,000 at Karaka, and there is sure to be significant interest in his 56 yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2023. He also has three yearlings catalogued for Book 2.
- Lot 90 is a daughter of Group One-winning mare Chenille (NZ) (Pentire), closely related to Group One performer Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel) and her well-performed son Not An Option (NZ) (Not A Single Doubt), and from the same family as multiple Group One winner Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel).
- Lot 331 is out of a half-sister to three stakes winners including this year’s Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) hero Pinarello (NZ) (Tavistock).
- Lot 379 is a half-brother to multiple Group Two winner Subpoenaed (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle).
- Lot 450 is out of Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m) winner Quintessential (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous), who is the dam of three winners from three foals to race.
- Lot 510 is a filly out of four-time Group One winner Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar), who is the dam of multiple stakes winners Sinarahma (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and House Of Cartier (Alamosa). This filly’s half-sister Sinarahma is currently in foal and racing in career-best form, capturing this month’s Group Two Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa.
