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The momentum from a record Book 1 session at NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale continued into Book 2 on Tuesday, where a condensed session saw 188 yearlings sell for an incredible $12,247,000. Surpassing all previous records, the Book 2 session reached an average of $65,144 (up 80%), a median of $60,000 (up 124%) and a clearance rate of 76%.  “As we had expected, putting the Book 2 horses in front of the international buyers has been key,” commented NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook. “To see a $2.5 million increase in turnover from a catalogue with 146 less horses, the results are just extraordinary really. “The Australian spend has more than doubled compared to this session last year, and while the Kiwis were stronger too, there were plenty who missed out so we hope to see them active at the Karaka Summer Sale on Thursday.” Lot 601 was the Book 2 Sale topper. Photo supplied Among the Australian buyers was Wylie Dalziel, who praised the new format of the popular second session. “Credit due to the team here for getting all the Book 2 horses on the grounds early.” “In previous years when they weren’t on the complex, we never got to inspect them. Now, Peter Moody and I have had the chance to steal some good ones. “We’ve had really good success buying out of Karaka, especially at this kind of price point. We couldn’t be happier.” Initially passed in, the top lot of the day came when Busuttin Racing negotiated a sale for Lot 601. $200,000 was outlaid for the filly by Embellish out of Queen of Wizardy from leading vendor Cambridge Stud. After being titled the Leading Vendor for the 34th time during Book 1, Cambridge Stud also took Book 2 honours, selling a further 14 yearlings for just shy of $1.2 million. Little Avondale Stud took the Leading Vendor by average title for Book 2, selling five lots at an average price of $103,000. Lot 762, was Shocking’s highest lot, selling for $160,000. Photo supplied Leading sire by average was Rich Hill Stud’s resident stallion Shocking, who sold three lots at an average of $121,667. Headed by Lot 762 (ex Gardenier), who sold for $160,000 to Hong Kong’s Lok Lor. Attention now turns to the inaugural Karaka Summer Sale kicking off Thursday 29 January from 11am. Inspections continue from Wednesday 28 January, while a welcome BBQ will take place from 4pm at the Garden Bar with all welcome. All yearlings purchased at Karaka 2026 are eligible to be nominated for NZB’s lucrative Karaka Millions Series, featuring the $1m TAB Karaka Millions 2YO, $1.5m TAB Karaka Millions 3YO and the $1m NZB Mega Maiden Series. To nominate your yearling, contact  finance@nzb.co.nz or call +64 9 298 0055. Entries close Monday 2 March 2026. To enquire about Passed Lots from Book 2 contact Patrick Cunningham on +64 21 181 5898 or email Patrick.Cunningham@nzb.co.nz, or Andrew Buick on +64 27 555 0640 or email Andrew.Buick@nzb.co.nz.  View the full Book 2 results here.   Catch the highlights and Lot-by-Lot footage from Book 2 here. Karaka 2026: Book 2 Statistics (as at end of selling)   2026 BOOK 2 TOTAL (NEW FORMAT) 2025 BOOK 2 TOTAL 2024 BOOK 2 TOTAL 2023 BOOK 2 TOTAL AGGREGATE $12,247,000 $9,759,000 $11,444,000 $11,516,000 AVERAGE $65,144 $36,144 $43,185 $43,131 MEDIAN $60,000 $26,750 $32,500 $32,000 CLEARANCE 76% 76% 70% 71% CATALOGUED 281 427 443 435 SOLD 188 270 265 267 TOP LOT Lot 601 Embellish – Queen of Wizardy (B.F) $200,000 Lot 855 Satono Aladdin – Sparkling Rose (B.F) $260,000 Lot 790 Time Test – Kerre (Br.C) $220,000 Lot 789 Proisir – Harriet Wilson (G.C) $180,000 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Top Lots Lot Sire Dam  Sex Vendor Purchaser  Price 601 Embellish Queen of Wizardry Filly Cambridge Stud Busuttin Young (VIC)  $               200,000 657 Sword of State Tina Again Filly Landsdowne Park Mr RA James / Mr R Wellwood (Waikato)  $               170,000 838 Sword of State Membership Colt Leanach Lodge Riversley Park/De Burgh Equine (Waikato)  $               170,000 762 Shocking Gardenier Colt Rich Hill Stud Lok Lor (Hong Kong)  $               160,000 585 Sword of State Palace Whispers Colt Woburn Farm Mr G Thompson (VIC)  $               150,000 756 Ardrossan Feuilla Colt The Oaks Stud Bleakley Bloodstock (Manawatu)  $               150,000 826 Ace High Maenoha Filly Seaton Park Rising Sun Syndicate/ Henry Dwyer Racing (VIC)  $               150,000 842 Contributer Miss Banff Colt Riversley Park BBA Ireland / BMD Bloodstock / Hurworth Bloodstock / David Skelly (Ireland)  $               150,000 592 Trapeze Artist Pickup the Pieces Colt Woburn Farm David Ellis CNZM (BAFNZ) (Te Akau)  $               145,000 801 Per Incanto Kechika Colt Little Avondale Stud Mr Frankie Ting (Hong Kong)  $               145,000 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Buyers Purchaser Lots Aggregate Top Price Top Lot Mr Frankie Ting 4  $          380,000  $          145,000 801 Lok Lor 2  $          300,000  $          160,000 762 Mr RA James / Mr R Wellwood 2  $          300,000  $          170,000 657 Ritchie Murray Racing / Chris Rutten Bloodstock (BAFNZ) 3  $          275,000  $          110,000 806 Andrew Campbell Bloodstock / T Heptinstall 4  $          266,000  $          110,000 641 Bleakley Bloodstock Ltd 2  $          240,000  $          150,000 756 Forsman Racing 3  $          210,000  $          100,000 754 Benner Racing Ltd 2  $          205,000  $          140,000 607 Busuttin Young 1  $          200,000  $          200,000 601 Ballymore Racing / Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Catheryne Bruggeman 3  $          192,500  $          110,000 812 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Vendors by Aggregate Vendor Offered Sold  Aggregate  Average  Top Price Top Lot Cambridge Stud 15 14  $             1,195,000  $             85,357  $          200,000 601 Waikato Stud 22 18  $                  902,500  $             50,139  $          130,000 631 Woburn Farm 10 10  $                  865,000  $             86,500  $          150,000 585 Rich Hill Stud 14 9  $                  812,500  $             90,278  $          160,000 762 Windsor Park Stud 15 11  $                  805,000  $             73,182  $          120,000 581 Landsdowne Park 10 8  $                  557,000  $             69,625  $          170,000 657 Westbury Stud 16 8  $                  550,000  $             68,750  $          100,000 628 Little Avondale Stud 7 5  $                  515,000  $          103,000  $          145,000 801 HGT Bloodstock 6 6  $                  435,000  $             72,500  $          110,000 752 Hallmark Stud 8 8  $                  415,000  $             51,875  $             75,000 725 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Vendors by Average (three or more sold) Vendor Offered Sold  Average  Top Price Top Lot Little Avondale Stud 7 5  $                   103,000  $                   145,000 801 Cambria Park 5 4  $                      98,750  $                   125,000 633 Rich Hill Stud 14 9  $                      90,278  $                   160,000 762 Woburn Farm 10 10  $                      86,500  $                   150,000 585 Cambridge Stud 15 14  $                      85,357  $                   200,000 601 Leanach Lodge Ltd 4 4  $                      78,750  $                   170,000 838 The Oaks Stud 3 3  $                      75,333  $                   150,000 756 Windsor Park Stud 15 11  $                      73,182  $                   120,000 581 HGT Bloodstock Ltd 6 6  $                      72,500  $                   110,000 752 Highline Thoroughbreds 8 5  $                      71,500  $                   130,000 622 Karaka 2026: Book 2 Leading Sires by Average (three or more sold) Sire Offered Sold  Average  Top Price Top Lot Shocking 3 3  $                                                           121,667  $                                                           160,000 762 Embellish 3 3  $                                                           105,833  $                                                           200,000 601 Per Incanto 7 5  $                                                           104,000  $                                                           145,000 801 Sword of State 25 24  $                                                              94,896  $                                                           170,000 838 Tarzino 7 3  $                                                              70,000  $                                                              75,000 804 Derryn 3 3  $                                                              68,333  $                                                           120,000 800 Satono Aladdin 13 8  $                                                              63,875  $                                                           110,000 616 Ardrossan 22 19  $                                                              62,211  $                                                           150,000 756 Noverre 21 18  $                                                              59,583  $                                                           130,000 786 Ocean Park 5 4  $                                                              56,250  $                                                           100,000 754 Shocking 3 3  $                                                           121,667  $                                                           160,000 762 View the full article

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.   A Sword Of State filly out of Tina Again fetched $170,000 to the bid of Roger James and Robert Wellwood  Photo: Angelique Bridson  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. Robert Wellwood and Roger James at Karaka Photo: Angelique Bridson  “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. View the full article

I used to have a decent go on a good Auckland night with full fields and the pick six a few years ago but it is a complete waste of time these days.  FFS  - seven races with an average field size of 7.8 So many trainers have left the Auckland area or downsized or given up because of one reason or another and never been replaced by the younger generation. Sign of the times with stakes not keeping pace with inflation. It is just not worth it for the guys with no big owners to keep paying the bills which go up every year.  HRNZ are delusional if they think they can bring back the glory days using the plan they are currently going with. Stakes vs expenses coupled with a poor racing product for punters is a downward spiral that will take North Island racing out completely in the next 20 years if not sooner. 

Per Incanto stock as usual looked outstanding! If only I was as rich as @Chief Stipe

he is a deep seated misogynist! WFA

Andrea Atzeni is looking to continue the momentum of last week’s Wednesday treble when he teams up with the likes of hat-trick seeking Amazing Kid, Refusetobeenglish and I Can at Happy Valley seven days on. The Sardinian jockey surged up to 19 winners for the season after the Sha Tin dirt treble and a week later, he has another strong book ahead of him with his sights set on third in the jockeys’ premiership. “It was good to get a treble last week, I did have good rides but as we all know,...View the full article

By Adam Hamilton Champion horseman Luke McCarthy could hardly contain his excitement after New Zealand Cup winner Kingman drew perfectly in gate one for Saturday night’s $150,000 Group 1 Cranbourne Cup (2555m). It is a huge advantage when he clashes for the first time in the same race with both Leap To Fame and Swayzee. Leap To Fame, who led throughout to beat Kingman into fourth spot in last Saturday night’s Group 2 Ballarat Cup, will start from gate four. Swayzee, winner of two NZ Cups and the reigning Hunter Cup hero, fared worst with the outside draw (gate seven) in a field of just seven. “You beauty. That’s huge. The draws are just so important when you get these great horses together,” McCarthy said. The draw looks especially important to Kingman given it’s his fourth run in as many weeks and his only win in his past three starts came when he drew the pole and led throughout in the Shepparton Cup to beat Leap To Fame. Kingman sat one-one when a lacklustre third to Bulletproof Boy in the Bendigo Cup on January 10. You could cut him slack on that given a hectic travel schedule in extreme heat. But the five-year-old looked all at sea when he hung very badly at times after sitting outside Leap To Fame and tired late for fourth. “He just didn’t handle the tight bends at all at Ballarat,” McCarthy said. Cranbourne has a tricky home bend, but Kingman, like all pacers, will handle it much better against the marker pegs. He looks like a certain leader. What will be fascinating is how Swayzee is driven from the wide draw and whether that creates a rare opportunity for Grant Dixon to drive Leap To Fame with a trail. To have all three superstars in the same race is awesome for Cranbourne and rewards the club for boosting prize money by $50,000 and gaining Group 1 status for its Cup. Between them, the trio has won 110 races and earned almost $8.3 million in prize money. Although this is the first time they have clashed, Kingman holds a 3-1 lead over Leap To Fame in their meetings and Swayzee is 1-1 with Kingman so far. In contrast, Saturday night’s $75,000 Group 1 Cranbourne Trotters’ Cup looks like another easy win for the amazing Keayang Zahara. She should work to the front and post her 23rd win from 24 starts. Victory this week would mean she only has to add the $250,000 Group 1 Great Southern Star at Melton on February 14 to cement the new $500,000 bonus. View the full article

One of the Australia’s most talented juveniles, Warwoven (Sword Of State), won’t be racing for next month’s Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield and remains in doubt for the autumn juvenile riches in Sydney. Trainer Bjorn Baker said on Tuesday that the colt had been sent for a short let-up after his sensational Magic Millions scratching earlier this month, but he was due to return to the stable at the end of the week with an eye to reviving his Golden Slipper prospects. The son of Sword Of State was most impressive in his first two wins over the summer, but he did not get the chance to race as the odds-on favourite for the A$3 million Magic Millions Classic (1200m) on the Gold Coast earlier this month after veterinary stewards ordered his withdrawal due to signs of lameness. He had held the position as the third favourite for the Blue Diamond Stakes on February 21 and was still marked on Tuesday as the co-favourite at $8 for the March 21 Golden Slipper Stakes. “We’ll try to get him to the Slipper, but we’ll just take it one step at a time,” Baker said on Tuesday. “We thought he was OK to run (in the Magic Millions) and they (veterinary stewards) didn’t, so that’s the way it goes.” “If we have any doubts with him, we’ll put him straight out.” Baker said he was disappointed not to have had his first Blue Diamond Stakes contender this year, but said he expected his stable could still impact in Melbourne this autumn. “Hopefully we will be down with Caballus in the Newmarket Handicap and we will also consider the (Black Caviar) Lightning Stakes with him,” Baker said. “Pericles will definitely go to the Futurity first-up. He trialed really well this morning at Randwick and I think he’s in for a good prep.” Baker said the last start Champions Mile runner-up was likely to stay on in Melbourne to tackle races like the G1 $2 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 7 and the G1 $2 million Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 28. View the full article

Robbie Patterson isn’t letting weight and pedigree queries dent his confidence with One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold Cat) ahead of Saturday’s Gr. 3 NZCIS Wellington Cup (3200m). The New Plymouth trainer reports that everything has gone to plan with One Bold Cat since running on the first two days of the Trentham carnival. Ridden by main stable jockey Craig Grylls, in the first of those races, One Bold Cat won the Listed Marton Cup (2200m), followed by a late-closing third in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m). “I couldn’t be happier with him, he’s as good as he could be,” Patterson said. “Craig said just keep doing what I’ve been doing, so it’s all gone smoothly.” Patterson does concede that One Bold Cat will be obliged to carry clear topweight in Saturday’s staying test, while the gelding’s pedigree does raise stamina queries, but neither is a great concern. His anticipated handicap of 59kgs is some five kilograms more than the favourite Rosso, however Patterson makes a relevant point. “It’s not like the days of Great Sensation when he carried those massive weights, there was a much lower minimum back then and my horse has already managed big weights. “As far as pedigree goes, we won the (2024 Wellington) Cup with Mary Louise, who was also by The Bold One from a mare by a sprinting stallion and that didn’t stop her. “All I know is we’ve got a horse in the right form, we set him for the race a long time ago, and everything has gone to plan.” Patterson is also looking forward to lining up stable members Belles Fate (Rating 75 1600m), Sir Bruce (Rating 65 2100m) and Wild At Heart (MAAT 1699m) in support races on Saturday’s card. “Belles Fate won at Trentham last season and has gone well in her last two starts on the track over 1400. She’ll enjoy stepping up to 1600 on Saturday. “We entered Sir Bruce for Remutaka Classic but he needed to win another race to make the cut. He’s well placed in his own grade though after finishing fourth in a similar race there last week. “Wild At Heart won her first start on the home track at Christmas and that was a good effort for fifth in the MAAT race at Trentham last time, so she’s well worth another shot at a decent stake.” View the full article