Cambridge Stud enjoyed another strong day of selling at the Book 2 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka.
The famed nursery were leading vendors of the Book 1 Sale and also held that mantle on Tuesday, clearing all but one of their 16-strong draft in Book 2.
Progeny of Cambridge Stud’s emerging sire Sword Of State were again in vogue, while barn-mate Embellish provided the day’s top lot, with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young signing for a filly out of Queen Of Wizardry for $200,000.
“She is a lovely filly that had a lot of her sire and grand sire (Savabeel) about her and she is out of a good Not A Single Doubt mare who is a half-sister to a Group One winner (Coco Sun),” Busuttin said.
“We trained Emphasize, who is also by Embellish, who had good ability and we have a couple by the sire that are pleasing us at home.
“It’s always great to be able to buy one from Cambridge Stud, who have presented a terrific line-up of horses this week and we’re delighted to get her.”
All three lots by Embellish sold at Karaka on Tuesday, with fillies sold for $75,000 and $42,500 respectively to Gold Coast trainer David McColm and Southland trainer Robert Dennis.
Sword Of State provided the sale-topper of the Book 1 Sale at $1.1 million and was again at the pointy end in Book 2, with three of the top five lots.
The Group One winning son of Snitzel has made a good impression with his early runners, headed by Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) winner and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) placegetter Torture and smart two-win colt Warwoven, who is currently favourite for the Gr.1 Golden Slipper.
A filly out of the four-win El Roca mare Tina Again set the early pace, knocked down to Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $170,000 from the draft of Landsdowne Park.
“She's a filly that we loved on farm and she's got a great flow and walk,” Wellwood said.
“She looks like she'll go early and she has got the upside of Swiss Prince in her pedigree, who's now won a stakes race and run second in a Group Two. We are terrifically happy to have her walk into the stable.”
Later in the day, a Sword Of State colt from the draft of Leanach Lodge also made $170,000, purchased by Riversley Park’s Sam Beatson in conjunction with Martin Buick of De Burgh Equine and will likely be re-offered at November’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
Flemington trainer Glen Thompson went to $150,000 to purchase a Sword Of State colt out of Palace Whispers from the draft of Woburn Farm.
With 24 lots sold for a total of $2,278,000 at an average of $95,000, Sword Of State was the highest-grossing sire in a strong day of trade in which $12.3 million worth of horses changed hands, significantly up on the previous year. – NZ Racing Desk
