Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
At A Glance
The 2025 New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale was smaller than in 2024 with 144 horses catalogued compared to 150 the year prior, however, the clearance rate rose with 84 weanlings finding new homes in 2025, compared to 77 in 2024. This took the clearance rate from 58 per cent in 2024 to 73 per cent in 2025.
The aggregate of NZ$2.41 million was similar to 2024’s NZ$2.48 million.
Last year’s average of NZ$32,273 fell to NZ$28,690 which was higher than the 2023 average of NZ$23,089, whilst the median was NZ$15,000 down from NZ$18,000 in 2024, but up from NZ$12,000 in 2023.
The sale topper was a NZ$190,000 Per Incanto (USA) colt sold by Seaton Park to Jim Carey of Newgate Farm (the top price last year was a NZ$170,000 Satono Aladdin (Jpn) filly). Four weanlings sold for six figures, down from nine in 2024 and five in 2023.
Sale topper will pinhook through Newgate Farm
Newgate Farm’s Jim Carey purchased the sale topping Per Incanto (USA) colt, Lot 13, for NZ$190,000.
“I couldn’t make the sale but an astute judge James Mitchell inspected him for me and thought he was the pick of the sale. We bought him because he’s by Per Incanto out of a Shamexpress mare. Per Incanto needs no introduction and it’s the reverse cross of Ka Ying Rising,” said Jim Carey.
Lot 13 - Per Incanto (USA) x London Express | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Hong Kong’s super sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) is currently the top rated horse on the World Thoroughbred Rankings on turf, and second overall. He is out of Per Incanto (USA) mare Missy Moo (NZ). Shamexpress (NZ), whose fertility issues have led to smaller book sizes, has only eight runners out of his broodmares to date, with five winners. As a sire, he has 14 stakes winners from 232 runners, with two Group 1 winners.
“We will set him for a major sale here next year. He’ll come back to Newgate in the coming days. I’m told he was a beautiful, good moving colt, and the two underbidders are people we respect greatly.”
“He’ll come back to Newgate in the coming days. I’m told he was a beautiful good moving colt, and the two underbidders are people we respect greatly.” - Jim Carey
The sale topping colt is out of Listed winner London Express (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) who won seven of her 30 starts including the Listed Castletown Stakes at two. This colt is her second foal, and her first is a yearling filly by Tivaci. Aside from London Express, the pedigree is light on immediate black type, however, London Express is out of a mare who won four races and the family includes Group 2 winner Pay My Bail (NZ) (Justice Prevails), the dam of Group 2 winner White Moss (Mossman) and Listed winner White Sage (Reset).
London Express (NZ) | Image courtesy of Peter Rubery (Race Images)
“We’ve put together a syndicate to buy a few colts to be traded at yearling sales next season, and I thought this was the nicest colt here and my pick of the sale,” added Mitchell.
“He’s by a stallion I love, Per Incanto, who’s just going from strength to strength, and he’s out of a running mare. Being a November foal, he’s only going to continue to develop. I see him as a real Hong Kong type of horse. He’ll have a lot of appeal with that market. Per Incanto has sired a lot of winners there, and being out of a Shamexpress mare, he’s a reverse of the cross that produced Ka Ying Rising.”
Pinhookers lead the buyers charts
Well renowned pinhookers Kaha Nui Farm were the leading buyer, spending NZ$300,000 on three weanlings including the second and third top lots.
“It has been a really good sale and we have given it a nudge on a number of lots, and we are pretty happy with the ones that we have managed to secure,” proprietor Nicky White said.
“We will take them home, turn them around and bring them back next year. With it being NZB’s 100th year, it is exciting. I think if we can have a good draft and turn them into what we want to, it will be fun.”
Lot 139 - Super Seth x Queen Leonora (NZ) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
A Super Seth colt, Lot 139, cost NZ$130,000 from the draft of Waikato Stud and he’s the fourth foal of three-race winning mare Queen Leonora (NZ) (Savabeel) who has an unraced 3-year-old filly Oceans (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), 2-year-old filly La Reina (NZ) (Tivaci) and a yearling colt by Tivaci. This is the family of Listed winner Synchronise (NZ) (Savabeel) and Group 1 winners Legs (NZ) (Pins), Guyno (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) and Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
“The stallion (Super Seth) is going really well at the moment. I like the fillies as well, but we had our eye on him from the start. We went out to the farm and had a look at him and liked him again when he was here (Karaka). I thought he would go too strong, and we were getting a bit wobbly, but he is a really nice, athletic horse. I think he will be a really neat yearling.”
“I thought he (Lot 139) would go too strong, and we were getting a bit wobbly, but he is a really nice, athletic horse. I think he will be a really neat yearling.” - Nicky White
The equal third-top lot, Sword Of State colt, Lot 129, cost NZ$120,000 which was the same price that Noble Bloodstock / Prima Park / Bevan Smith Bloodstock went to for a Satono Aladdin (Jpn) filly.
“He was a very late foal so we forgave him for being on the lighter side than what I would normally look at, but he is just a baby, and he will furnish pretty well, I hope.” Lot 129, offered by Curraghmore, is a half-brother to G3 MRC Easter Cup winner Torranzino (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) who ran second in the 2025 Listed Warrnambool Cup last start. Their dam, Goldilicious (NZ) (Helmet) has an unraced 2-year-old gelding Kandinsky (NZ) (Time Test {GB}). Goldilicious is half-sister to Group 3 winner Showbeel (NZ) (Savabeel).
Lot 129 - Sword Of State x Godilicious (NZ) | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Their other purchase was Lot 127, a Bivouac filly who cost NZ$50,000. “I missed out on going to the farm, but I had my A-team go and have a look. She just had speed written all over her. She looks a very fast, early type, and I think she will be fun as well.” This filly, sold by Curraghmore, is out of unraced mare Forte (Sepoy) who is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Nechita (Fastnet Rock), dam of Group 3 winners Forebearance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and full brother Harpo Marx (Ire).
The second leading buyer was Lord of Wingrove Ltd, a company which is registered to HP Yeung.
Lot 127 - Bivouac x Forte | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Profondo is leading first season sire
Third overall on average behind proven sires Per Incanto (USA) and Satono Aladdin (Jpn), first season sire Profondo was the leading first season sire by average with four weanlings selling for an average of NZ$62,500. He stood his first season at Windsor Park Stud at a fee of NZ$17,500 plus GST.
“He’s left a lovely line of horses. We had a beautiful colt who made $85,000 and was well found by Paul Pertab, and Seaton Park sold a nice colt for the same price to Gary Mudgway. They were really well received, and he’s producing the type of horses the market is looking for,” said Windsor Park’s marketing manager Michael Moran.
Michael Moran | Image courtesy of Windsor Park
“He’s been a dream horse to market. His first year he got 177 mares and 173 in his second season. He already has 125 mares booked to him this year. He’s pretty special, a perfect sized horse at 16 and a half hands, and is all class. He’s got a lot of quality. Obviously he’s out of a Redoute’s Choice mare who was a $720,000 yearling and I think her first three foals all sold over a million. He just ticks every box.”
“He’s been a dream horse to market. His first year he got 177 mares and 173 in his second season. He already has 125 mares booked to him this year. He’s pretty special.” - Michael Moran
Profondo topped the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale when selling to his racing owner Ottavio Galletta for $1.9 million from the draft of Arrowfield Stud and went on to win the G1 Spring Champion Stakes at just his third start, having won on debut. Profondo returned as a 4-year-old to finish third behind champion racehorse Anamoe and Group 1 winner Fangirl (Sebring) in the G1 Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick.
By Deep Impact (Jpn), Profondo’s dam is Group 3 winner Honesty Prevails (Redoute’s Choice) whose second foal is stakes placed Custodian (Shalaa {Ire}).
Profondo | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
Profondo’s two top colts, who both made NZ$85,000, were Lots 59 and 97. Lot 59, sold by Windsor Park Stud is the third foal of winning mare Shamani (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}), a half-sister to Listed Port Adelaide Guineas winner Grand Chancellor (NZ) (Savabeel). Lot 97, sold by Seaton Park, is the second foal of Auntie Condor (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) from the family of proven sire Staphanos.
Pacemakers top the Standardbred session
Pacemakers, the Thoroughbred group who are pinhooking Standardbreds for a challenge, ended up being the leading buyers at the New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred Weanling Sale on Thursday with 11 horses purchased.
“We had about 20 but some guys dropped off and got a bit scared, but there is still 11 or 12 of us that are having a good crack. We just ended up buying Lot 84 there who was a lovely colt, the colt of the sale and we all chipped in to buy him for our draft,” said Woburn Farm’s Adrian Stanley who has organised the Pacemakers challenge.
“We are being professional about it. We are here to make money and are here to buy nice horses. We’ll name them correctly and hopefully some Group 1 winners come out of it.”
Top lots at 2025 NZB National Weanling Sale
| 13 | Per Incanto (USA) | London Express (NZ) | Bay | Colt | Seaton Park Ltd | J Carey | $190,000 |
| 139 | Super Seth | Queen Leonora (NZ) | Chestnut | Colt | Waikato Stud Ltd | Kaha Nui Farm | $130,000 |
| 129 | Sword of State | Goldilicious (NZ) | Bay | Colt | Curraghmore | Kaha Nui Farm | $120,000 |
| 99 | Satono Aladdin (Jpn) | Blue Rhythm (NZ) | Bay | Filly | Rich Hill Stud | Noble Bloodstock / Prima Park / Bevan Smith Bloodstock | $120,000 |
| 36 | Sword of State | O'Carol (NZ) | Bay | Filly | Elsdon Park | Cameron Cooke Bloodstock Pty Ltd | $90,000 |
| 97 | Profondo | Auntie Condor | Brown | Colt | Seaton Park Ltd | Gary Mudgway Bloodstock | $85,000 |
| 11 | Proisir | Le Sablier (NZ) | Bay | Filly | Hallmark Stud | Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Ascot Farm | $85,000 |
| 59 | Profondo | Shamani (NZ) | Bay | Colt | Windsor Park Stud | Paul Pertab Bloodstock Ltd | $85,000 |
| 110 | Spirit of Boom | Chenzel (NZ) | Bay | Colt | Cambridge Stud | Lordof Wingrove Limited | $80,000 |
| 45 | Staphanos (Jpn) | Quintessential (NZ) | Bay | Colt | Curraghmore | Rohan J Hughes / Grahame Begg Racing | $75,000 |
Top buyers by gross
| Kaha Nui Farm | 3 | $300,000.00 | $100,000.00 |
| Lordof Wingrove Limited | 3 | $200,000.00 | $66,667.00 |
| Noble Bloodstock / Prima Park / Bevan Smith Bloodstock | 2 | $190,000.00 | $95,000.00 |
| J Carey | 1 | $190,000.00 | $190,000.00 |
| Paul Pertab Bloodstock Ltd | 3 | $162,500.00 | $54,167.00 |
| Cameron Cooke Bloodstock Pty Ltd | 2 | $145,000.00 | $72,500.00 |
| GTS Bloodstock | 2 | $91,000.00 | $45,500.00 |
| Gary Mudgway Bloodstock | 1 | $85,000.00 | $85,000.00 |
| Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Ascot Farm | 1 | $85,000.00 | $85,000.00 |
| Rohan J Hughes / Grahame Begg Racing | 1 | $75,000.00 | $75,000.00 |
Top vendors by gross
| Curraghmore | 10 | 2 | 8 | $465,000 | $58,125 | |
| Seaton Park Ltd | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | $377,500 | $47,188 |
| Cambridge Stud | 7 | 1 | 6 | $242,000 | $40,333 | |
| Waikato Stud Ltd | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | $220,000 | $55,000 |
| Little Avondale Stud | 10 | - | 2 | 8 | $151,500 | $18,938 |
| Rich Hill Stud | 7 | - | 2 | 5 | $139,000 | $27,800 |
| Elsdon Park | 7 | 2 | 5 | $118,000 | $23,600 | |
| Windsor Park Stud | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | $114,000 | $28,500 |
| Hallmark Stud | 4 | - | - | 4 | $101,000 | $25,250 |
| Brighthill Farm | 11 | - | 5 | 6 | $98,000 | $16,333 |
Sires by gross
| Sword of State | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | $438,500 | $48,722 |
| Per Incanto (USA) | 2 | 2 | $255,000 | $127,500 | ||
| Profondo | 9 | 5 | 4 | $250,000 | $62,500 | |
| Savabeel | 4 | 4 | $201,000 | $50,250 | ||
| Satono Aladdin (Jpn) | 3 | 3 | $187,500 | $62,500 | ||
| Noverre (NZ) | 11 | 4 | 7 | $157,000 | $22,429 | |
| Super Seth | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | $130,000 | $130,000 |
| Proisir | 1 | 1 | $85,000 | $85,000 | ||
| Staphanos (Jpn) | 3 | 1 | 2 | $81,000 | $40,500 | |
| Spirit of Boom | 1 | 1 | $80,000 | $80,000 |
Sires by average (2 or more sold)
| Per Incanto | 2 | 2 | $255,000 | $127,500 | ||
| Satono Aladdin | 3 | 3 | $187,500 | $62,500 | ||
| Profondo | 9 | 5 | 4 | $250,000 | $62,500 | |
| Savabeel | 4 | 4 | $201,000 | $50,250 | ||
| Sword of State | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | $438,500 | $48,722 |
| Staphanos | 3 | 1 | 2 | $81,000 | $40,500 | |
| Noverre | 11 | 4 | 7 | $157,000 | $22,429 | |
| Shamexpress | 2 | 2 | $41,000 | $20,500 | ||
| Sweynesse | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | $40,000 | $20,000 |
| Hello Youmzain | 4 | 1 | 3 | $51,000 | $17,000 |
