Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
This year, in an exciting and innovative move, the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale will run on the same date and at the same venue as the New Zealand Bloodstock National Standardbred Weanling Sale at Karaka. The dual-code sale day will kick off with the Thoroughbred session from 10am, before shifting gears with Standardbred weanlings selling from 2:30pm.
For a group of adventurous New Zealand Thoroughbred farms, it’s set to be business as usual in the morning, inspecting, bidding, and buying as they always do. But after a short break (and perhaps a well-earned refreshment), the fun and challenge really begins.
These farms are stepping into new territory: attempting to pinhook standardbred weanlings. And while pride is certainly on the line, so too is profit, plus a little friendly competition. A prize pool is up for grabs for the farm that achieves the highest return on investment percentage, from purchase to resale.
Auditorium at Karaka sales complex | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
The Thoroughbred Report caught up with Woburn Farm’s Adrian Stanley, one of those who turned the wine-fuelled idea into a sober competition, to find out what’s involved - and to ask the questions ahead of this unique sale-day experiment.
Where the idea first come to light
Woburn Farm is a well-established operation based in the Waikato, and Adrian Stanley is known for sourcing weanlings across Australasia, developing them back on lush New Zealand pastures, and re-presenting them at major yearling sales on both sides of the Tasman.
Plenty of air miles and long hours go into inspecting weanlings at sales - but there’s also time for the odd long lunch or dinner with like-minded mates. And, as Stanley explains, that’s exactly how this idea started.
Adrian Stanley | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“It was at the Sydney Classic Sale or one of the Inglis sales, and over a long lunch I made a comment about it to Nick Fairweather and Nicole Brown of Carlaw Park. Then as other people entered the table, or we told other people about it, there seemed to be a lot of interest and the idea very quickly developed.
“So we put together some basic rules and here we are. I’m picking that we may have potentially up to 20 people that may get involved, but we will see on Thursday.”
How it works: Pinhooking meets standardbreds
The rules are simple and orthodox - mostly.
“The entry fee is going to be NZ$1000, and you have to select your weanling at Thursday’s sale before taking it home, and putting it into your system to sell at Karaka’s Standardbred Sale next year,” Stanley said.
“The main thing is to prepare them as well as you can and to pretty them up. All of the weanlings that are purchased will be under the newly made Pace Makers banner, and then all will be presented under the same banner - unreserved. From my understanding at the standardbred yearling sales it's a little bit different to what we are used to, you don't have to x-ray or scope your horses, only a post-sale scope.
“All of the weanlings that are purchased will be under the newly made Pace Makers banner, and then all will be presented under the same banner - unreserved.” - Adrian Stanley
“The winner will be the person who receives the best return on investment percentage from purchase to sale, with 70 per cent of the fund going to the winner, 20 per cent to the runner-up, and 10 per cent to the third best result.
“But most of all, the winner will have bragging rights, and that is very important within this game.”
Pace Makers logo | Image supplied
While the competition is shaping up nicely, some rules are still being finalised.
“Some other rules will be confirmed - the bragging rights are most important, but it will also be a good kitty to the winner,” Stanley adds.
“... the bragging rights are most important, but it will also be a good kitty to the winner.” - Adrian Stanley
“The Standardbreds are selling after the Thoroughbreds, so we’ll be at the bar having a few beers and having a bid. We won’t be bidding each other up, we’ll communicate before bidding what we like. It’s all about a bit of fun, so it will be clean that way.”
“Also, everyone has to be hands-on once it is selling time, they can’t send staff up to the sales, etc. That still is to be ironed out but would mean some people would have to do more work than they ever have, I reckon!”
To keep it fair (and entertaining), a few creative deterrents are in place.
“If it is found that anyone is running someone up, they’ll be fined $1000, which will go straight onto the bar. We may have to appoint a three-man panel to keep it clean, we may even introduce an old-fashioned court session, like the old rugby days.
“If it is found that anyone is running someone up, they’ll be fined $1000, which will go straight onto the bar.” - Adrian Stanley
“But jokes aside, it’s not about that. It’s a bit of fun. We all have the means and the facilities to be able to do this, and hopefully, it goes well.”
Thoroughbred types turning their hand
So, who’s the early favourite to take home the inaugural Pace Makers King or Queen pinhooker title?
Stanley reckons there’s no clear frontrunner, but a few people may have an edge.
“Most of us have some sort of exposure, and to tell the truth, I’ve nearly spent more time scanning through the Standardbred catalogue than I have the Thoroughbred one for this sale.
“What I do know is that Carlaw Park have an advantage, as Nicole Brown’s parents, Peter and Roslyn Brown are pretty good at the harness game. There are also some sneaky characters around. I know Sam Beatson has been trying to make some new friends within the harness world, so let’s see how that goes for him!
Lot 301 - Bettor’s Delight x Start Dreaming (colt) was the top lot of the 2024 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale, selling for NZ$340,000 | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
“A few of us, including myself, have shares in some Standardbreds down south with Andrew Stuart, and that is lots of fun.
“There are quite a few guys around like Simon Lawson, Ross McKay, and Gareth Dixon that are involved in both codes. Barry Purdon actually bought a Tivaci from the draft of Woburn Farm, and that’s been a winner for him.”
One industry, two breeds, shared passion
It may have started over a cheeky long lunch, but Stanley sees potential in what the challenge represents, a moment of crossover, camaraderie, and a genuine opportunity to support both sides of the racing industry.
“It’s all a bit of fun, and you never know, it may become reciprocal. The harness guys might have a go at the Thoroughbreds in years to come.”
“It’s all a bit of fun, and you never know, it may become reciprocal. The harness guys might have a go at the Thoroughbreds in years to come.” - Adrian Stanley
“In this industry, we all need support, the Standardbred industry, the Thoroughbred side, we all need support and to work together.
“So why not? Let’s have some fun, support people, and who knows where this could end up in years to come. A bit of fun, a bit of banter, and a few beers with mates, sounds pretty bloody good to me.”
