Day 3 sale-toppers: Proisir reigns supreme with second seven-figure daughter from Donna Marie

11 min read
Buyers remained hungry for top quality fillies on Day 3 of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, with Rich Hill Stud's Proisir delivering the two top priced lots on the day. Curraghmore continued their super sale, providing two of the most sought after yearlings in the session on behalf of Nearco Stud.

Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Lot 564 - Proisir x Donna Marie (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}), filly, NZ$1,100,000

The full sister to Champion Middle Distance Horse Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) was always going to command attention when she entered the sales ring, and it was no surprise to see her crack the million dollar mark when selling to Roger James and Robert Wellwood for $1.1 million in the closing stages of Book 1. Her 2-year-old full sister, now named Seychelles, was also a seven-figure lot when walking through this same ring twelve months ago, selling to the NZ$1.6 million bid of Moody Racing.

James has found the 2025 renewal of Karaka tough and faced particularly fierce competition when stretching to take home the daughter of Donna Marie (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}), who is herself the half-sister to Singapore’s Champion 2YO Colt and Champion 3YO Miler Onceuponatime (NZ).

Lot 564 - Proisir x Donna Marie (NZ) (filly) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

“We didn’t think we were unrealistic about prices, but we have been this year, and I think it’s a reflection of our increased stakes,” he said. Coming off the back of a huge edition of the Karaka Millions raceday, perhaps bidders were a bit more willing to part with their cash to secure the goods.

That was certainly the case for the connections of Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel), who added NZ$500,000 to her winnings at the weekend with victory in the Listed Aotearoa Classic. James secured this million dollar filly to race in their ownership.

“From the first time I saw her, I thought she was perfect,” James said. “So balanced, I couldn’t fault her. Someone, the buyer, who owns Orchestral asked me to rate her out of 10, and I said 10. I could not fault her in any way.”

“From the first time I saw her (Lot 564), I thought she was perfect. So balanced, I couldn’t fault her. Someone, the buyer, who owns Orchestral asked me to rate her out of 10, and I said 10. I could not fault her in any way.” - Roger James

The perfect filly differs a little from dual Group 1-winning Prowess, and that was something that made James fall in love with her even more.

"Prowess was a big, rangy filly that we had to wait for, and this filly is so balanced that you could see her doing things at the tail end of her 2-year-old year,” he said. “You could imagine her being a bit of a sprint 3-year-old.

“Her attitude is bombproof. I saw her earlier today dead on her feet tired because she’s been so popular, but the minute you asked her to walk, she had an overstep of about three inches. She’s one filly that is going to give her guts for you.”

Bred by Hallmark Stud, the filly’s full sister Prowess has set the tone for the page, as winner of the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes and G1 New Zealand Stakes amongst six stakes wins.

Roger James | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Donna Marie’s dam Scarlet Runner (NZ) (Kingdom Bay {NZ}) won the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic and is the second dam of three other stakes performers, including G3 Cuddle Stakes runner-up Goodsav (NZ) (Savabeel). Donna Marie was served again by Rich Hill Stud’s Proisir, who stands for NZ$80,000 (+GST), after this filly’s birth.

Lot 637 - Proisir x Golden Hind (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), filly, NZ$850,000

Proisir provided the top two lots on the last day of Book 1, which is testament to the quality of his stock year on year. Within the first fortnight of the new year, he added two stakes wins to his record courtesy of Bourbon Empress (NZ) in the G2 Rich Hill Mile on New Year’s Day and Whangaehu (NZ) in the G3 Trentham Stakes, with Vegas Queen (NZ) coming second at the weekend in the G3 Almanzor Trophy.

The New Zealand Champion Sire in 2022/23 certainly commanded a premium for this filly out of Golden Hind (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), a half-sister to New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Planet Rock (Fastnet Rock), with Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock’s winning bid coming in at NZ$850,000.

Hawthorne admitted he ended up in a bit of a “bidding duel” over her, and it was a relief to hear the auctioneer’s gavel come down.

Lot 637 - Proisir x Golden Hind (NZ) (filly) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

“(She’s a) lovely, lovely filly,” he said. “We know how good Tavistock mares are. I think she is a nice sort of 1400-metre, miler filly. Tavistocks throw speed, you can get a fast horse out of a Tavistock mare.

“Once she matures, she’ll really come in to what we think (of her). I don’t think she will be a flying 2-year-old, but I think she will be a nice Guineas filly.”

The late Tavistock (NZ) has eight stakes winners to his name as a broodmare sire, and 58 winners from 114 foals from his daughters to start. Chief among those stakeswinners is the perennial Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), who added the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes and G1 Cantala Stakes to his record in the spring. Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}) is the other Group 1 winner from Tavistocks daughters, who won the G1 Telegraph Stakes amongst six career victories.

“She will be for the GSA Racing team,” Hawthorne said. “Where she goes, we don’t know (yet).”

Dean Hawthorne | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Bred by Nearco Stud and presented by Curraghmore, the filly is the first foal from the unraced Golden Hind, who is also a half-sister to G3 Kelt Memorial Handicap winner Ringo (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), and is closely related to G1 Victoria Derby-placed stallion Gorky Park (NZ). Golden Hind was covered again by Proisir after this filly’s birth.

Lot 628 - Sword Of State x Fuld’s Bet (I Am Invincible), colt, NZ$540,000

Cambridge Stud’s Sword Of State delivered the top priced colt on the third day at Karaka, falling to the bid of Mulberry Racing for a tick over half a million dollars. He comes well-credentialled, as a son of Listed Gimcrack Stakes winner Fuld’s Bet (I Am Invincible), who has already produced the G3 Northland Breeders Stakes-placed I’m All In (NZ) (Zoustar).

New South Wales-based trainer Brad Widdup spotted the colt early in the sale and circled him as one to take home for the Mulberry Racing team.

Lot 628 - Sword Of State x Fuld's Bet (colt) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

“He was one of the colts that we found pretty early in the sale and we wanted to buy him,” Widdup said. “I didn’t think we would have to go that hard, but it’s nice to secure him, by a nice young stallion off of a great farm, so hopefully we can make him a racehorse.

“He does actually look like a horse that will get up and running (early), he looks like a real Snitzel-speed type of horse. Let’s hope he’s got the quality. Obviously we had to dig deep to buy him, so it’s a great effort by all.”

“I didn’t think we would have to go that hard, but it’s nice to secure him, by a nice young stallion off of a great farm, so hopefully we can make him a racehorse.” - Brad Widdup

Sword Of State has been well received at the first two sales to see his progeny so far, averaging 16 times his service fee (excluding GST) at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale and averaging 13.4 times across all three days of Book 1. He saved the best for last, with this being his most expensive yearling at Karaka. He stands for NZ$15,000 (+GST) at Cambridge Stud.

Bred and sold by Cambridge Stud, this filly has big boots to fill. All three of Fuld’s Bet’s foals to hit the track have come home winners, and she has plenty of blacktype around her, as she is a half-sister to R. Listed Inglis Nursery winner Irish Bet (Smart Missile), who accumulated HK$3.6 million ($739,000) in prize money racing as Hong Kong Bet, and G1 Queensland Derby runner-up Rockstar Rebel (Rebel Raider). The family also features G1 Canterbury Guineas-placed stallion Cheval De Troy. Fuld’s Bet delivered another filly by Sword Of State in November.

Brad Widdup | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Lot 579 - Savabeel x Embedded (Shamus Award), filly, $450,000

Champion Sire Savabeel’s progeny have continued to be in high demand across Book 1, and this filly is no exception. Trent Busuttin, who purchased the lot in conjunction with training partner Natalie Young and Cameron Cooke Bloodstock, was pleased to take one home at this price.

“Obviously (she’s) just by the right sire, Savabeel, he has a just outstanding record,” he said. No need to pump him up.” Busuttin and Young have had plenty of success with the progeny of Waikato Stud’s champion, most notably with multiple Group 1-winning Sangster, so it makes sense to return to such a lucrative well for another drink.

Lot 579 - Savabeel x Embedded (filly) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

“She's a beautiful filly, she's probably one of the nicest fillies that I saw (at Karaka),” Busuttin said. “We knew we’d have to pay a fair bit of money for her. I thought if we could get her for under $500,000, we would be doing well.

“I’ve bought her for a group of clients, and the vendor’s going to stay in for a leg. That always fills you with a bit of confidence when they're happy to stay in.”

Busuttin is pleased to have the support of bloodstock agent Cameron Cooke, who had put the filly high on his list from the beginning. The team-up has resulted in several of Cooke’s clients already investing in the filly.

“(I’m) rapt with the filly, and she was one that I was hoping I'd go home with from the sale. So certainly glad we grabbed her. Just an outstanding type. We have had plenty of luck with Savabeels, and hopefully this continues.”

Trent Busuttin | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Bred by Ultra Thoroughbred Racing, this filly is the first foal from Shamus Award mare Embedded, a full sister to Listed Anzac Day Stakes winner Flying Award and a half-sister to Listed South Pacific Classic-placed Snake Charmer (Pentire {GB}). Second dam Flying Dansino (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) placed in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes and is a half-sister to G1 South Australian Derby runner-up Zagreb (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Embedded was exported to Australia ahead of last spring, where she delivered a full sister to this filly.

Lot 638 - Dundeel (NZ) x Grace Augusta (Declaration Of War {USA}), colt, NZ$450,000

Another team-up between breeders Nearco Stud and consigner Curraghmore resulted in another top price paid for this colt, who received a handy pedigree update at the weekend when his dam’s half-brother Coastwatch (Fastnet Rock) added another string to his bow with victory in the Listed John Dillon Stakes at Sandown.

Successful Cambridge-based trainer Stephen Marsh and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock teamed up to secure this colt, who is the first living foal from Grace Augusta (Declaration Of War {USA}), a half-sister to G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss (Not A Single Doubt).

Lot 638 - Dundeel (NZ) x Grace Augusta (colt) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

“(A) standout type, he was a Dundeel with a touch of spark,” said Marsh. “I reckon he will go early enough, he’s out of a half to Mighty Boss and he was a Group 1 winner.” Mighty Boss’s only other win came as a 2-year-old, but he gave plenty of courageous performances as he got older, finishing 0.9l behind Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) in the G1 CF Orr Stakes and running fourth behind Showtime in the G2 Stutt Stakes.

“We will keep him a colt and see what happens, we would love to try and make him a stallion,” Marsh said. “He was the last horse to bid on at Book 1 (for Marsh) and it was great to go out with a bang like that.”

The colt is by far the most expensive lot that Marsh and Johnson acquired in Book 1, who signed the docket for 10 lots in total. Their second highest bid was $380,000 on Lot 337, the Savabeel half-brother to G3 Bonecrusher Stakes winner Sethito (NZ) (Super Seth).

Stephen Marsh | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock

Bred by Nearco Stud and offered by Curraghmore, this colt descends from G1 Australian Oaks victress La Volta (Laranto), whose other stakes winning descendants include G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Catch A Fire (Sebring) and G2 Sires' Produce Stakes-winning Seaburge (Sebring). Grace Augusta was covered by Dundeel’s Champion First Season Sire son Super Seth after this filly’s birth.

New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale
Proisir
Roger James
Curraghmore
Sword Of State
Savabeel
Hallmark Stud
Nearco Stud