Written by Gavelhouse Plus
Cover image courtesy of Gavelhouse Plus
The 2023 National Online Breeding Stock Sale is now live online on Gavelhouse Plus, with 54 lots on offer.
Bidding is set to open on Friday, July 7, and will close from 7pm (NZT) on Wednesday July 12.
The catalogue is comprised of a mix of young and proven mares, along with shares in stallions Per Incanto (USA) and Vadamos (Fr),
One of the many notable lots in the catalogue is Prima Donna (NZ) (Super Easy {NZ}), who is a winning half-sister to this season’s exceptional 3-year-old filly Prowess (NZ) (Proisir).
Lot 40 - Prima Donna (NZ) | Image courtesy of Gavelhouse Plus
Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Prowess has been a super-impressive winner of seven of her nine starts including the G1 Vinery Stud S., the G1 New Zealand Bonecrusher S., the Karaka Million 3YO Classic, the G2 Auckland Guineas and the G2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic.
Prima Donna and Prowess are both daughters of the Don Eduardo (NZ) mare Donna Marie (NZ), who is the dam of four winners from four foals to race. Another of her progeny, Ajay Tee (NZ) (Foxwedge), was a placegetter in the Listed Canterbury Belle S.
The 5-year-old Prima Donna was retired from racing this month, having had 19 starts for a win and five other top-five finishes.
Watch: Prima Donna (NZ) when racing
“Her future was always going to be as a broodmare, and we had been planning to retire her from racing by the end of this season,” part-owner Tim Ford said. “With everything that her half-sister Prowess has achieved over the last few months, this sale really became the perfect opportunity to put her on the market.
“She comes from a very nice family. Prowess has had an outstanding season, while Ajay Tee has performed up to stakes level as well. She also has a full brother called Diamond Ring who has won three races in Singapore. It’s a good-quality page that’s probably going to continue to get better.
“She had her share of ability as a racehorse herself, which she showed when she won a maiden race at Wingatui by 8.5l last year. She was a bit picky in terms of track conditions and probably didn’t achieve all that she should have – she certainly had the potential to win a couple more races. But when everything went her way, she was pretty good.”
“She (Prima Donna) comes from a very nice family. It’s a good-quality page that’s probably going to continue to get better. She had her share of ability as a racehorse herself...” - Tim Ford
Meanwhile, the sale of the stakes-winning mare Ticket To Ride (NZ) (Shocking) marks the end of a special era.
She is being sold on behalf of the estate of the late Peter Setchell, who bred a remarkable number of top-line performers including Australian Horse of the Year Red Anchor (NZ) and fellow multiple Group 1 winner Oopik (NZ) (St Puckle {GB}).
“This brings to a close the breeding career of Peter Setchell, who bred an unusually high number of quality horses over the years, headed by the likes of Red Anchor,” Don Crawford said. “He enjoyed outstanding success as a small breeder during what would have to be classed as a golden age of New Zealand thoroughbred breeding.
“This (the sale of Ticket To Ride) brings to a close the breeding career of Peter Setchell, who bred an unusually high number of quality horses over the years, headed by the likes of Red Anchor.” - Don Crawford
“This is the last horse to be sold from his estate, so it brings the curtain down on a highly distinguished breeding career.”
Ticket To Ride is related to the sire Thewayyouare (USA), along with multiple Group 1 winners such as Blush With Pride (USA) (Blushing Groom {Fr}), Peeping Fawn (USA) (Danehill {USA}) and Rags To Riches (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}).
Ticket To Ride herself won nine races, headed by the G3 Canterbury Breeders’ S. and placed on another 16 occasions.
Lot 50 - Ticket To Ride (NZ) | Image courtesy of Gavelhouse Plus
Having produced a colt foal by Proisir in 2021 and a filly by Ardrossan last spring, Ticket To Ride is again in foal to the high-flying Proisir. The Rich Hill Stud star has sired five individual Group 1 winners this season and holds an unassailable lead on the New Zealand sires’ premiership. His service fee has soared from NZ$17,500 to NZ$70,000 (plus GST) for the upcoming breeding season.
In addition to Proisir, other covering sires featuring in this catalogue include Armory (Ire), Captivant, Circus Maximus (Ire), Eminent (Ire), Hello Youmzain (Fr), Ocean Park (NZ), Satono Aladdin (Jpn), Savabeel, Showcasing (GB), Sword Of State, Tarzino (NZ), Time Test (GB), Tivaci, Turn Me Loose (NZ), Vadamos and Zed (NZ).
New Zealand Bloodstock’s team of agents will be working their way through inspections throughout the coming week and will be able to provide assessments in due course.
Meanwhile, entries for the next fortnightly mixed auction are due online by 10pm (NZT) on Monday, July 3.
