NZB Ready to Run Sale Stacked With Established Stallion Talent

[Wandering Eyes]

The catalogue for the 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale features the progeny of 92 different sires, including some of the cream of the stallion crop from both sides of the Tasman.

New Zealand-based sires

New Zealand stallions had an extraordinary season in 2022-23, with no fewer than 16 of them siring Group One winners in Australia or Hong Kong. The progeny of many of these high-flying stallions can be found in the Ready to Run Sale catalogue.

Savabeel

SAVABEEL 

Waikato Stud’s supremo Savabeel needs little introduction, boasting no fewer than eight New Zealand sires’ premierships. His long reign at the top of the domestic table may have been broken by Proisir last season, but he still had another incredible year in his own right.

Savabeel’s progeny amassed a mind-boggling A$20m on Australian racetracks during 2022-23, which earned him third place on the sires’ premiership on that side of the Tasman – trailing only I Am Invincible and So You Think (NZ).

He sired four individual Group One winners during the 2022-23 season and has already continued in the same vein in the early stages of the 2023-24 season with Skew Wiff (NZ) taking out New Zealand’s season-opening Tarzino Trophy (1400m).

The Ready to Run Sale is a proven source of Group One-winning progeny of Savabeel, with Hall Of Fame (NZ) and Sangster (NZ) coming out of this sale in previous years.

The 2023 Ready to Run Sale catalogue features nine sons of Savabeel, including:

Proisir 

• Lot 80, the second foal out of stakes-performed American mare Joyous Thunder (Kitten’s Joy).
• Lot 182, out of dual Group Two winner Platinum Princess (NZ) (Keeper).
• Lot 218, whose dam is a half-sister to the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) winner Shamal Wind (Dubawi).
• Lot 279, a half-brother to the dual Group One winner Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly).
• Lot 383, a half-brother to the three-time Group Two winner Spanish Whisper (Lope De Vega).

PROISIR

Rich Hill Stud’s Proisir claimed his first New Zealand sires’ premiership in 2022-23, and in the process, he did something that had never been done before.

Proisir became the first stallion to ever have total progeny earnings break through the $4m barrier in a single New Zealand season. He had no fewer than five individual Group One winners – Dark Destroyer (NZ), Pier (NZ), Legarto (NZ), Levante (NZ) and Prowess (NZ).

Proisir’s service fee has soared from $17,500 to $70,000 for the 2023 breeding season, and he had eight yearlings sell for $230,000 or more at Karaka earlier this year.

The 2023 Ready to Run Sale catalogue features 12 progeny of Proisir, including:

• Lot 125, a son of the Group Three-winning High Chaparral mare Mangaroa Flo Jo (NZ).
• Lot 210, whose dam Rocknrolla (NZ) (Towkay) won eight races and placed at Group Three level. She is closely related to the Group One performers Spin ‘N’ Grin (NZ) (Spinning World) and Burgundy Belle (NZ) (Burgundy).
• Lot 324, a filly out of a three-quarter-sister to the dam of Proisir’s Group Three-winning daughter Aimee’s Jewel (NZ). Another close relative is the multiple stakes winner Irish Girl (NZ) (El Roca).
• Lot 357, whose unraced dam Cabsav (NZ) is a Savabeel half-sister to the Group One winner Juice (NZ) (Bertolini).

Per Incanto

PER INCANTO

The star quality of Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto has been well known for several years, courtesy of Group One stars such as Roch ‘N’ Horse (NZ), Little Brose, Lost And Running (NZ), Shadows Cast (NZ), Belclare (NZ), Santa Monica (NZ), Dal Cielo (NZ) and Bonham.

Per Incanto is the sire of six two-year-olds in the Ready to Run Sale catalogue, including:

• Lot 77, a half-brother to the high-class Desert Lightning (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), who won last season’s Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m) and placed in another three stakes races including the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and the $1m Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).
• Lot 278, the first foal out of Group Three-winning mare Tinkalicious (NZ) (Nadeem).

ALMANZOR

Shuttle stallion Almanzor brought outstanding credentials with him when he first arrived at Cambridge Stud, having been Europe’s Champion 3YO Colt in 2016 with exceptional Group One triumphs in the Prix Du Jockey Club (2100m), Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) and British Champion Stakes (2000m). He has wasted no time in living up to the hype.

Almanzor 

Almanzor sired $1m Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Dynastic (NZ) in his first crop of juveniles, and that was followed in the spring of 2022 by a first-crop Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) win with Manzoice.

Almanzor will be represented by nine two-year-olds in the Ready to Run Sale catalogue, including:

• Lot 144, a close relative of the Group One-winning Australian superstar Sunshine In Paris (Invader). This colt’s dam Montrachet (NZ) (High Chaparral) is a five-time winning half-sister to two stakes winners including multiple Group One winner Vosne Romanee (NZ) (Electronic Zone). Another half-sister, Zenaida (NZ) (Zabeel), is the dam of Sunshine In Paris.
• Lot 201, who is out of Quintessential (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous), the winner of the Group One Queensland Oaks (2400m). Quintessential is also the dam of three winners from three foals to race, including the stakes-placed Steely (All Too Hard).
• Lot 321, whose dam Alpena Rosea (NZ) (Thorn Park) is a full-sister to the Group One winner and black-type producer Norzita (NZ) (Thorn Park).

SWEYNESSE

Sweynesse 

Novara Park’s Sweynesse has been thrust into the spotlight by his spectacular son Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), who himself was bought from the 2020 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka for $90,000.

Lucky Sweynesse has risen to superstardom in Hong Kong, where his 18-start career has produced 13 wins, four placings and total prize-money of more than HK$51m (the equivalent of NZ$11m).

Overall, Sweynesse is the sire of 70 winners from 138 runners. He has been represented by six individual stakes winners, with Lucky Sweynesse backed up by Group Two Doomben Roses (2000m) winner Only Words (NZ), Group Two Westbury Classic (1400m) winner Dragon Queen (NZ), Group Three Rough Habit Plate (2000m) winner Special Swey (NZ) and fellow black-type winners Bonita Aurelia (NZ) and Brix (NZ).

Buyers will have access to 12 of Sweynesse’s progeny during the Ready to Run Sale, including:

• Lot 169, whose dam Panama (NZ) (Traditionally) won four races and placed at Group Two level. Panama is a half-sister to the Group One winner Captivate (NZ) (Stravinsky).
• Lot 174, whose dam is a sister to four stakes winners including the Group Two winner and Group One-placed Bella Martini (Stratum).

Other Kiwi-based sires who enjoyed Group One success in Australia last season and feature in the Ready to Run Sale catalogue include:

• Ocean Park (NZ), the sire of Queensland Derby (2400m) hero Kovalica (NZ). He has no fewer than 20 two-year-olds in the Ready to Run Sale catalogue.
• Redwood, whose son Sharp ’N’ Smart (NZ) was New Zealand’s Horse of the Year in 2022-23. Also the sire of Hong Kong’s Group Three winner and Hong Kong Derby (2000m) placegetter Tuchel (NZ), not to mention the exciting Queensland gelding Antino (NZ), Redwood has 12 yearlings catalogued for the Ready to Run Sale.

Australian-based sires

Buyers will also have access to the progeny of some of the best of the best from across the Tasman, with all of the top 10 stallions from last season’s Australian sires’ premiership featuring in the catalogue.

I AM INVINCIBLE

I Am Invincible 

Australia’s reigning champion sire is I Am Invincible, who commands a service fee of A$302,500 at Yarraman Park. The phenomenal stallion has been credited with 845 winners from 1059 runners, with 98 stakes winners including 14 at Group One level.

His 2022-23 season was extraordinary, with 202 winners from 377 runners on Australian racetracks, amassing total prize-money of A$23.4m. His headline acts were Group One-winning sprinters In Secret and Imperatriz.

I Am Invincible’s progeny have sold for up to $625,000 at Karaka as yearlings, and he has two well-credentialled progeny going under the hammer during the Ready to Run Sale.

• Lot 107, out of the three-race-winning Lope De Vega mare Lope De Lope. Notably, the cross between the I Am Invincible and Lope De Vega sire lines has produced two stakes performers from two runners – Group Two winner The Ridler and Group Three-placed Blatant, both by I Am Invincible’s son Brazen Beau.
• Lot 172, whose dam Pecans (Skilled) won six races including the Group Three Belle Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) and Group Three Hawkesbury Crown (1300m).

SO YOU THINK

Karaka graduate and New Zealand-bred champion So You Think (NZ) made his mark on the racetrack with five Group One wins in Australia and another five in England and Ireland, and he has gone on to become one of the biggest names on the Australian stallion landscape.

The son of the influential High Chaparral has sired 567 winners from 843 runners, with 54 at black-type level including 11 Group One winners.

So You Think’s sole entry in the 2023 Ready to Run Sale catalogue is Lot 314, whose dam is a half-sister to In The Vanguard (Encosta De Lago). Herself a winner and a placegetter in the Group Two Sweet Embrace Stakes (1200m), In The Vanguard is better known as the dam of super-talented Group One winner and young Cambridge Stud stallion prospect Sword Of State.

SNITZEL

A four-time champion Australian sire, the mighty Snitzel has been credited with 136 individual stakes-winning progeny including 19 at Group One level. More than 25 of his sons stand at stud across Australasia, including the likes of Shamus Award and Russian Revolution.

Snitzel is the sire of Lot 54 in the 2023 Ready to Run Sale catalogue. This colt is out of Guiseppina (NZ) (Johar), who won eight races including the Group One Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, along with the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) and Levin Stakes (1200m). She also placed in the Group One Livamol Classic (2040m) and WFA Classic (1600m).

Zoustar

ZOUSTAR

Himself an outstanding winner of six of his nine starts including the Group One Golden Rose (1400m) and Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), Zoustar has passed on plenty of that star quality to his progeny. He is the sire of 497 winners from 729 runners, with 40 stakes winners including Group One winners Sunlight, Zoutori, Zougotcha, Mizzy and Lezoo. In New Zealand, his super-talented daughter Zourion (NZ) was an unbeaten two-year-old last season.

Zoustar’s progeny have sold for as much as $800,000 at Karaka as yearlings. Three of his sons feature in the catalogue for the 2023 Ready to Run Sale.

• Lot 106, whose dam is a full-sister to Group Three winner Wu Gok (Sebring) and a half-sister to Group One winner Levendi (Pierro).
• Lot 190, out of the Group Three Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) winner Princess Of Queens (Magnus).
• Lot 203, out of the winning mare Reconstruct (NZ) (Swiss Ace), who is the dam of three winners from three foals to race. She is closely related to the Group Two winner Alma’s Fury (Refuse To Bend).

DEEP FIELD

Quality sire Deep Field and the Karaka sale ring have already proven to be a winning combination, producing numerous winners headed by the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) hero Sky Field.

Deep Field has sired a total of 382 runners from only 558 runners, with 25 stakes winners. Sky Field is joined on the Group One-winning list by Portland Sky and Al Muthana.

Deep Field

Deep Field is a major player in the 2023 Ready to Run Sale, with 10 of his progeny in the catalogue, including:

• Lot 223, a filly who is a half-sister to four winners including Group Three winner Vigor Winner (Declaration Of War) and the stakes-placed Illumination (NZ) (Iffraaj).
• Lot 296, whose dam is a full-sister to Group Two winner Vilanova (NZ) (Commands) and a half-sister to Group Two winner Vavasour (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice), Group Three winner Celebrity Dream (NZ) (Thorn Park) and the multiple Group One placegetter Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park).
• Lot 329, out of the three-time winner and Group Three James HB Carr Stakes (1400m) placegetter Anyaas (Commands).
• Lot 367, a half-brother to Fundamentalist (Not A Single Doubt), who won at Listed level and placed in the Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m), Surround Stakes (1400m), Thousand Guineas (1600m), Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) and JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m).
• Lot 372, whose dam Clearly (Invincible Spirit) won at Listed level and is half-sister to the Group One winner Polarisation (Echo Of Light).

The catalogue also features two-year-olds by other superstar Australian-based sires such as Written Tycoon, Exceed And Excel, Dundeel (NZ), Pride Of Dubai, Capitalist and Russian Revolution.

The 2023 edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale will take place at the Karaka Sales Centre on 22 and 23 November, with Breeze Ups to be held at Te Rapa Racecourse on 16 and 17 October.

Online bidding is available for all prospective purchasers via bidonline.nzb.co.nz, plus an extensive online catalogue at www.nzb.co.nz that will host pedigrees, parade videos and photos, breeze up clips and data analysis, updates and important information to assist your buying decisions.

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