Perry's Karaka prep comes with an Asterix

Cover image courtesy of Trish Dunell

The move of the Karaka Sale to March, made this year due to border restrictions, has prompted a fair degree of debate among both vendors and buyers as to the optimum time for the premier New Zealand yearling sale.

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Carlaw Park - Selling Day 1 (Lots 8 to 71)

Perry told TDN AusNZ that while there were other organisational factors which made staging the yearling sale in March tricky, in terms of the yearlings' development, it was hard to refute that the delay has been of benefit.

"I think it's made a big difference to the horses that we have seen. I think it’s brilliant and I'd love from a buyer point of view to see it at this time of year every year," Perry told TDN AusNZ.

"It may not suit a lot of people and there are issues around getting staff, because a lot of the university people aren't available, but as far as the horses go, it’s really benefitted them mentally and physically."

The initial date move was made by New Zealand Bloodstock in the hope that New Zealand's international borders may be fully open to Australians, and while that hasn't quite eventuated, recent developments have enabled a host of ex-pat Kiwis to return to the Sale, giving a significant boost to numbers on the ground.

With buyers across the world much more comfortable with purchasing remotely than they would have been in pre-COVID pandemic times, and a catalogue which Perry rates very highly, the respected bloodstock agent believes the competition will be as strong as ever.

"I think given the horses here, it is going to be pretty strong. It's quite a big catalogue, but there are a lot of really nice horses here and plenty of New Zealand horses winning big races in Australia. The Australian buyers and trainers, if they are going to target some of those big races, they can't afford to not keep buying here," he said.

A Group 1 update

Among those many nice horses is a sister to Saturday's shock NZ Derby winner Asterix, offered as Lot 434 by Curraghmore, who Perry has been keeping a close eye on.

"She's a nice filly. I just saw her this morning (Sunday). She's a nice-moving filly and should sell well. She's got a great page and being a full to a Derby winner, it’s great for them (Curraghmore)," he said.

Given her brother sold for NZ$450,000 - the fourth highest price - at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, expectations will be high for the filly, who is from the last crop of their sire Tavistock (NZ).

Their dam, Mourasana (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}) is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Mouramara (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), the dam of G1 Sydney Cup winner Mourayan (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}) and stakes winner and G1 Melbourne Cup placegetter Mourilyan (Ire) (Desert Prince {Ire}).

It’s no surprise then with that pedigree that Asterix, who was bred by Go Bloodstock, would be a horse that could be capable of winning a Derby, becoming the first by his sire to claim the Ellerslie feature.

Derby dreams

Perry, who also selected 2019 New Zealand Derby winner Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}), was tasked with finding client Sam Kelt a horse that could win him a Derby at that 2020 Ready to Run Sale.

"Sam was pretty clear that he wanted to buy a horse that could win a Derby. He (Asterix) had such a lovely staying pedigree. He was just a lovely moving horse that breezed up well he ticked all the boxes really," he said.

"The price we paid, it was plenty and probably reflects what others thought of him as well. At the end of the day, I was lucky to have a client that was prepared to back my judgement on the day."

For Perry, picking out potential staying stars out of the sales, as he did with Crown Prosecutor from the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, and Asterix at the NZB Ready to Run, is about a combination of factors.

"You are trying to find a horse that uses himself well, is light on his feet and not necessarily a big heavy-boned horse. You also want a horse with a really good temperament and uses himself well. He has to be an athlete, number one," he said.

"You want a horse that hopefully you can get a prep into them and they are not going to fall apart on you."

The Wexford touch

Asterix went to the stables of Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, who had prepared the NZ Derby winner last year, Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock).

While that horse had come through a spring campaign which laid the foundation for a Derby win, there wasn't that luxury with Asterix, who didn't debut until January. O'Sullivan and Scott knew they had the horse, but must have wondered if they had the time, with the gelding only booking his spot in the race when he won a Tauranga maiden three weeks ago.

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Carlaw Park - Selling Day 1 (Lots 94 to 209)

"He only had the three lead-up runs, but they knew they had the horse that if they got him there on the day, he was very capable," Perry said.

"We knew he was going to stay and we knew he had a turn of foot. He was beautifully trained, they had him spot on. He had a few issues early on, but they worked out how to get him there on the short prep."

A Group 1 winner after just four starts, the future looms bright for Asterix, who Perry believes will now be set for the 2022 G1 Melbourne Cup.

"He has got upside. What he is doing now he can only get better, and all going well we will see him in the spring as a totally different horse. That's the focus from now is the spring, I’d think," he said.

"Sam and Lance and Andrew will make that call, but I know Sam has always had a dream of having a competitive runner in the Melbourne Cup and that qualifies him now. I’d say that would be the focus more than the Australian Derby.

"I suspect they will do everything to get him to Melbourne now, which is wonderful for them."