With an outstanding selection of yearlings about to go through the ring during six days of Karaka 2023 selling action, top-tier racing over the last three months has delivered plenty of extra sparkle to pedigrees throughout the catalogues.
A million-dollar shine has been added to the pedigree page of Lot 24 – Rich Hill Stud’s filly by Vadamos out of All About The Coin (Starcraft). She is a half-sister to the undefeated two-year-old Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who scored a stunning win from a wide gate in Saturday’s $1m DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Pukekohe.
Lot 36 is a half-sister to another of New Zealand’s leading two-year-olds this season, Impendabelle (Impending), who won the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham. The third placegetter in that race was Dapper (NZ) (Shooting To Win), who is a half-brother to Lot 76.
Trobriand (Kermadec) also confirmed his place among this season’s standout Kiwi two-year-olds with an emphatic win in the Group Two Eclipse Stakes (1200m) on New Year’s Day and a big run for third in Saturday’s Karaka Million 2YO. Windsor Park Stud will offer his half-brother as Lot 39 – a colt by Russian Revolution out of Arboreal (Lonhro). Meanwhile, Eclipse Stakes third placegetter To Catch A Thief (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) is a half-brother to Lot 554.
The Almanzor filly catalogued as Lot 510 has received a couple of significant pedigree updates from her high-class half-sister Sinarahma (NZ) (Darci Brahma). Already a stakes winner and a previous placegetter at the highest level, she ran second in the Group Three Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) before scoring a dominant win in the Group Two Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m).
Across the Tasman, Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park) has emerged as an exciting three-year-old talent. The Chris Waller-trained gelding has won four of his five career starts, headed by a last-start victory in the Group Three Grand Prix (2100m) at Eagle Farm. He is a half-brother to Lot 626, a filly by Super Seth.
Another of Super Seth’s yearlings at Karaka is Lot 91, a half-brother to Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) from Chandelier. Previously a multiple Group One winner in Sydney, Mo’unga added further elite form to his CV with a runner-up finish in the Group One Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington in November. Just behind him in third in that star-studded race was Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking), who has a half-sister catalogued as Lot 509.
Lot 310 is a half-sister to another proven Group One star of Australian racing, Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), who placed in Flemington’s Group One Champions Mile (1600m).
Lot 406, a son of high-flying stallion Proisir, is a half-brother to the recent Listed Brisbane Handicap (1640m) winner London Banker (NZ) (Tavistock).
Back in New Zealand, Devastate (NZ) (Vadamos) is an exciting three-year-old who won three of his first four starts, headed by the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m). He is a half-brother to Lot 415.
Lot 444 has been given multiple boosts lately by half-brother Viktor Vegas (NZ) (Tavistock), who has been in the form of his life and has won the Group Three Waikato Cup (2400m) and placed in the Group Three Counties Cup (2100m).
Lot 848 is a half-sister to promising stayer Dionysus (NZ) (Ocean Park), who claimed his first blacktype success in the Group Three Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day.
Lot 891’s half-sister Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto) is another recent first-time stakes winner, scoring an easy win in the Group Three Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
Other Notable Updates
Aside from those siblings to the stars, there have been plenty of other significant updates to pedigree pages all the way through the catalogues for both Book 1 and Book 2.
Lot 47 is a filly by Vadamos out of Stravinsky mare Aterballetto (NZ), who is bred on the same cross as one of the leading Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) contenders, Missy Moola (NZ) (Vadamos). Missy Moola impressed many with her strong finish to place third in the Group Two Wellington Guineas (1400m) during her last start.
Lot 59 comes from the same family as Paulele (Dawn Approach), who won the Group One Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth.
Lot 128, Curraghmore’s colt by Churchill out of Dancing Hare (Fastnet Rock), is from the same family as Hong Kong’s champion sprinter and the recent Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) winner Wellington (All Too Hard). The third placegetter in the Hong Kong Sprint, Sky Field (Deep Field), comes from the same family as Lot 206.
Lots 123 and 210 have both received pedigree updates from multiple close relatives in recent times, with Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls) finishing second in the Group One Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) and fourth in the Champions Mile, while Atishu (NZ) (Savabeel) placed in the Group Two The Ingham (1600m) and the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m).
Lots 258 and 644 all received an elite American pedigree update from In Italian (Dubawi), who ran second in the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (1900m).
ot 581 is closely related to Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard), who has picked up back-to-back Group One placings with runner-up finishes in the Railway (1200m) and Telegraph (1200m). Lots 712 and 938 also come from this family.
Lots 618 and 941 come from the same family as South African colt Charles Dickens (Trippi), who has won six of his seven starts including the Group One Cape Guineas (1600m). He was also runner-up in the Group One King’s Plate (1600m).
Lot 672 comes from the same family as one of New Zealand racing’s brightest stars, Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), who scored spectacular wins in the Group One New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Group Two Eight Carat Classic (1600m) before a luckless fourth in the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m).
Book 1 of Karaka 2023 kicks off at 11am this Sunday and runs through to Tuesday, followed by Book 2 from 1 to 3 February.
All yearlings in Karaka 2023 have been inspected by NZB and NZ-based agents who are available to assist buyers with any queries or to bid on their behalf.
For general sale enquiries, contact NZB’s Kane Jones on +64 27 274 4985 or Regan Donnison on +64 21 512 466.
Online bidding is available for all prospective purchasers via bidonline.nzb.co.nz, plus an extensive online catalogue that will host pedigrees, parade videos and photos, updates and important information to assist your buying decisions.
The catalogues for Karaka 2023 can be viewed online here.
Important Dates
Book 1 Sale – Sunday 29 January to Tuesday 31 January
Book 2 Sale – Wednesday 1 February to Friday 3 February
