Stallion images courtesy of Haunui Farm
Following on from first season sires driving record results at the recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, there is optimism that demand for freshman stallions can similarly power positive market results at the upcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.
The six colts and one filly offered by Coolmore's Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (USA) are sure to be keenly sought at Karaka, but a strong class of new faces from the local market are also set to generate interest, including Belardo (Ire), Preferment (NZ), Rageese, Tarzino (NZ), Telperion, Tivaci, Turn Me Loose (NZ) and Vadamos (Fr).
Haunui Farm is nervously anticipating debuting the first yearlings by the shuttle stallion Belardo to the market at Karaka. Managing Director Mark Chitty feels the first season sires form a compelling reason for potential buyers to get to the sale.
Gallery: Belardo (Ire) | Standing at Haunui Farm
"The market in Australasia, they like seeing new blood. Magic Millions showed that again," Chitty told TDN AusNZ.
"The buyers love those first season sires and they tend to spend well for them. They'll choose and find the ones they like. It doesn't necessarily correlate with who will be leading first and second season sires when they go to the racetrack, but that's all part of the game."
"The buyers love those first season sires and they tend to spend well for them." - Mark Chitty
Chitty said in order to keep current in the market, agents, trainers and other investors, particularly those based overseas, simply needed to be on the ground at sales like Karaka to ensure they see what the new sires were offering.
"When people haven't seen the progeny of these first crop sires, it helps (in terms of getting people to the sales). The last thing you want to do is see the back end of them at the winning post and not know what they look like. I think that one of the big advantages of going to the sale is seeing the progeny of these new sires," he said.
"The people that are having the most success are doing the most work. You need to look at everything and while they might not like them this year, they’ve marked them down and seen them. They have gained some knowledge."
Haunui Farm's Mark Chitty
Belardo ready for sales bow
Belardo, a dual European Group 1 winner, is a good point in case. As a son of Lope De Vega (Ire), who performed at the highest level on the global stage, he is a horse that has resonance across Australia and New Zealand and whose progeny are likely to draw attention.
"It’s always an exciting time when you are introducing a stallion's yearlings for the first time. He was one heck of a racehorse, having been the Champion 2YO of Europe, winning the Dewhurst. He won the Lockinge and was second in the Queen Anne," Chitty said.
"It’s always an exciting time when you are introducing a stallion's yearlings for the first time." - Mark Chitty
"But it’s all about how the market perceives them at the yearling sales. He had a couple sell on the Gold Coast for $95,000 and $60,000, which for a horse standing at NZ$12,000 was nice. Hopefully, he can go on and be well recognised through the sales series.
Watch: Belardo (Ire) winning the Dewhurst S.
"They are good medium-sized, strong-bodied horses. They have all got a good walk on them and they use themselves well. I think he’ll give the people an impression, they might get an autumn 2-year-old out of a horse or two."
There are six by the stallion available in Book 1. Haunui Farm itself offers three; two colts, Lot 144 and Lot 280, and a filly, Lot 203.
"They are just nice solid horses and if they can make in the NZ$80,000-$120,000 range, I'd be more than happy. In the sales series through Europe, he had three horses make £150,000 or better," Chitty said.
"He has sold right through the spectrum and if he can do the same again and get them out to good trainers through Australasia, I would be more than happy."
Iffraaj influence strong
Haunui Farm's overall catalogue of 27 is highly influenced by its other resident stallion in Iffraaj (GB), who has 13 yearlings on offer in its draft.
They include Lot 337, a filly out of the full sister to Group 1 winner Brutal (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), Talaria (NZ).
"That Alberton family has been a very, very good family. They tend to run by any form of stallion," Chitty said. "Looking at her pedigree, she's a lovely filly and a good type to go with it."
Lot 600, out of G2 Brisbane Cup winner Floria (NZ) (Savabeel), is another Chitty anticipates will be well received.
"She's a third foal and a big upstanding filly. You can see a mix of both Iffraaj and Savabeel there," he said.
Another filly by Iffraaj he is looking forward to offering is Lot 152, out of Our Essence (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}), who hails from a strong South Island family which has produced the likes of G1 Melbourne Cup placegetter Zazabelle (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) and her Group 2 winning son Sky Boy (Pendragon {NZ}).
Lot 380 is the pick of the Iffraaj colts, being out of Valpolicella (NZ) (Red Ransom {USA}), making him a half-brother to stakes winners Vavasour (NZ) (Redoute's Choice), Vilanova (NZ) (Commands) and Celebrity Dream (NZ) (Thorn Park) as well as the top mare Rondinella (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}).
Haunui Farm also offers one of three yearlings in Book 1 by its former stallion, and the dominant 2-year-old sire in New Zealand this year, Showcasing (GB).
Belle's brother the headline act
But the most inspected yearling in the draft will undoubtedly be Lot 86, the colt by Tavistock (NZ) out of Meleka Belle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}).
That makes him a half-brother to Haunui's headline graduate, 10-time Group 1 winner and current New Zealand Horse Of The Year Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands).
"If people are looking for a Derby horse and have come to buy that type of horse, they need look no further," Chitty said.
"He's a lovely horse and he's well grown. He's probably a horse that has got good improvement in him. He's come to hand really nicely but I think he's a horse that will continue to go on and improve."
Watch: Lot 86 - Tavistock (NZ) x Meleka Belle (NZ) (colt)
The obvious question is how he compares to his half-sister, who was picked out by Te Akau's David Ellis for what proved a bargain price at this sale in 2016.
"The great thing about Meleka Belle is that all her progeny are all good-doing stock," Chitty said when asked to compare the two as yearlings.
"This is the first colt that we have taken to the market out of the mare. Melody Belle only made NZ$57,500 and wasn't regarded by a lot of people but David Ellis was the man who regarded her and bought her.
"This colt's a nice staying, Derby style of horse. He'll be a well inspected horse and the market will decide on what his value is."
